While Miami Dolphins veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has provided plenty of excitement in his two years with the team, a new report indicates that his future with the Dolphins in in question.
Alain Poupart of SI.com noted that Fitzpatrick is expected to seriously explore any free agent offers directed his way, considering that Tua Tagovailoa is still seen as the Dolphins’ starting quarterback.
“His status with the team most definitely is up in the air, given that he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent with the start of the new league year in mid-March,” Poupart wrote.
The 38-year-old Fitzpatrick started the first six games of the 2020 season for the Dolphins before being replaced by Tagovailoa.
While Fitzpatrick was no doubt annoyed at being replaced while still producing on the field, he continued to be a team player. He ended up starting the Nov. 29 game against the New York Jets because of an injury to Tagovailoa.
Fitzpatrick helped deliver a miraculous last-minute victory over the Los Angeles Raiders on Dec. 26.
Once the season ended, Dolphins head coach Brian Flores gave the impression that Fitzpatrick had played his last game in a Dolphins uniform.
“From the Dolphins standpoint, head coach Brian Flores’ comments after the regular season certainly did nothing to suggest we should expect Fitzpatrick back next season,” Poupart wrote.
Fitzpatrick’s vast experience as a quarterback in the NFL is something that a number of teams will likely consider when free agency arrives.
Whatever team does sign Fitzpatrick is likely to use him in the same fashion the Dolphins did this past year, which involved handling the starting quarterback duties while a developing quarterback is groomed to eventually take over.
