Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was ranked as the quarterback most likely to lose his starting job this season.
Bleacher Report’s Chris Roling had Fitzpatrick as No. 1 on his list of seven quarterbacks that could get demoted this year.
While Roling does believe that Fitzpatrick will earn the starting job out of the gate, he doesn’t think that the 37-year-old will be able to hold off rookie Tua Tagovailoa.
“Fitzpatrick is 37 years old and gives what looks like an improving roster a fighting chance,” Roling wrote. “But more importantly, he’s one of the better veterans in the league to have on hand to mentor a top-five pick like Tagovailoa.
“Fitzpatrick’s play won’t hold off the fan-backed Tagovailoa hype, though, eventually relegating him to sage-veteran status as the next franchise passer takes over for the Dolphins.”
The Dolphins selected Tagovailoa with the No. 5 pick in the 2020 NFL draft, all but solidifying his future as the franchise quarterback once he is deemed ready.
However, Fitzpatrick may not be as easy to pass as Roling thinks.
The veteran was 5-8 last season under center, leading four game-winning drives.
Fitzpatrick’s numbers weren’t all that bad either. He threw 20 touchdowns to 13 interceptions and completed 62 percent of his passes in 2019.
While Tagovailoa is certainly waiting in the wings, the Dolphins could do much worse than Fitzpatrick as a placeholder in 2020.
