The New York Jets could have some quarterback issues on their hands as Ryan Fitzpatrick's injury could be worse than assumed. Fitzpatrick has been dealing with a torn ligament in his thumb of his non-throwing hand. The Jets originally said that the quarterback would wait to have surgery when the season over, but it could be happening sooner rather than later which would put Geno Smith back in the driver's seat.
Fitzpatrick hinted that surgery was coming potentially on Friday. According to ESPN's Rich Cimini, there is a chance the quarterback undergoes surgery to repair the injury after the game against the Buffalo Bills which would leave him uncertain for Week 11 play. Fitzpatrick told the media in a production meeting that the idea is still up in the air at the moment, but there is a chance which goes against what New York originally stated.
The injury clearly did not hamper Fitzpatrick in Sunday's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars as the game plan was really no different. The quarterback noted that that he was not concerned about suffering further injury as he went 21 of 34 for 272 yards and two touchdowns. "I thought we came into the game -- doctors, trainers, everybody -- with a great game plan, in terms of how I was going to manage," Fitzpatrick said, via ESPN.com. "I was great throughout the game. A number of times I was handing off with my left hand."
If Smith were to get the starting nod in Week 11 against the Houston Texans, it might be his last chance to prove that he deserves to stick around at the end of the season. According to the New York Post, there are no guarantees for Smith following the end of the season as Fitzpatrick continues to excel. The veteran quarterback is playing on an expiring contract which puts the Jets in a tough spot in the offseason.
According to Cimini, Fitzpatrick is not a long-term franchise quarterback, but re-signing him in the offseason might be the best fix to their quarterback situation at the moment. The Jets could then take their time developing either Smith or Bryce Petty for the future. They could also draft another rookie to add to the rotation depending on where they land and who is available. Cimini writes that this year's free agency class of quarterbacks is not appealing while the Jets are unlikely to make moves for either Matthew Stafford or Colin Kaepernick is they become available. That means Fitzpatrick is the best and most affordable option for the future. His chemistry with Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker and Chris Ivory is already built up as he continues to prove he can be a winning option for the Jets.
