Reggie Bush and Ryan Fitzpatrick Future Updates
Two interesting stories have been reported regarding two key players in the AFC East in Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush and Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Bush is set to become a free agent after this season, while the Bills have soured on Fitzpatrick and will likely be drafting a new quarterback (Tyler Wilson?) in April.
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The Buffalo News believes that “it seems obvious” Ryan Fitzpatrick will not receive two-thirds of the $62 million contract he signed last year in October, and beat writer Mark Gaughan notes that the Bills would actually save $500,000 by releasing Fitzpatrick in the offseason.
He writes, “Fitzpatrick is due a $3 million roster bonus in March. If he gets cut before that bonus is paid, then he will count $10 million against the Bills’ salary cap in 2013. That’s a lot, but not so much that he will have to be retained.”
Fitzpatrick hasn’t been that bad, but the Bills have realized that he is not the answer. That’s mainly due to his usually high number of interceptions thrown per year, as the gun-slinger mentality that Fitzpatrick possesses lends itself to turnovers. He has committed 22 turnovers this season, with 16 of those being interceptions.
Meanwhile, The Miami Herald is reporting that the Miami Dolphins will try to re-sign UFA RB Reggie Bush this offseason, but they will also “only re-sign Bush at their price, not at his” because of the presence of solid backups Daniel Thomas and Lamar Miller. I’m not as high on Thomas as the Dolphins are, but Miller has the potential to be a very good running back in this league (Armando Salguero notes that the rookie runs a 4.4 forty).
It makes sense for the Dolphins to try and sign Bush to a team-friendly deal, because he is their most dynamic offensive weapon and most consistent source of yards on the ground. Bush shouldn’t receive too many years at the age of 28, but I have a feeling he’ll get a bigger deal from another team in the offseason and sign elsewhere. Currently averaging a solid 4.4 yards per carry and 64 yards per game, Bush needs only 40 rushing yards against the New England Patriots to hit 1,000 in each of his two seasons with the Dolphins.
You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.