WASHINGTON — The Washington Football Team has a new quarterback.
Ryan Fitzpatrick reportedly agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal on Monday. Going into camp, he’s projected to be the starter, but Taylor Heinicke, and Kyle Allen will be competing for the job.
Fitzpatrick will be Washington’s 32nd starting quarterback since the team's last Super Bowl win in 1991. That’s 30 years if you’re counting.
Coming into his 17th year in the league, the bearded one ranks 10th among active quarterbacks in passing yards and has thrown for 223 touchdowns. He is also the only quarterback in NFL history to start for and throw a touchdown with eight different teams.
A 38-year-old free agent is obviously not a long-term solution for an NFL team (unless that free agent's name is Tom Brady), but he can serve as a competent bridge until the team can find itself a player that will be that long-term solution.
The Team recently released Alex Smith after his request to leave the team, according to a statement from Washington Football Head Coach Ron Rivera.
Smith returned last season from a severely broken leg in 2018 and played eight games, with a 5-1 record as a starter, helping Washington make its first playoff appearance in five years with a NFC East division title. He missed that first-round playoff loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers because of a bone bruise in his surgically repaired right leg that held him out of a couple of regular-season games, too.
Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick helped the Dolphins to a 10-6 season in 2020, as Miami worked on getting Tua Tagovailoa NFL ready.