Buccaneers Sign QB Ryan Fitzpatrick

One of the best quarterbacks left on the board is now spoken for. The Buccaneers have agreed to terms with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. It’s a one-year, $3MM deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Ryan Fitzpatrick (vertical)

The Buccaneers lost their Jameis Winston backup this offseason when Mike Glennon signed a lucrative free agent deal with the Bears. Fitzpatrick, who had a surprisingly strong 2015 season with the Jets, now becomes Tampa Bay’s new insurance policy under center.

While ’15 was a banner year for the bearded signal caller, 2016 was definitely a season to forget. Things got so bad in New York last year that the veteran found himself considering retirement after the season.

“Last year was the most difficult year for me,” Fitzpatrick said. “Not physically, just kind of mentally and emotionally. I had to take a step back and think about it. Is this something I still want to do? Football is something so ingrained in me, something I love doing and definitely something I want to do. I still want to compete and I still think I can contribute whether I am in a starting role or whatever capacity.”

Fitzpatrick, 35 in November, had a shaky grip on his starting job last year as he threw for 12 touchdowns against 17 interceptions. The year prior, however, Fitzpatrick threw for 31 touchdowns. If given the opportunity to get on the field, Fitzpatrick will try to channel the magic of his ’15 campaign. If he looks like the ’16 version of himself, then this might be his last stop in the NFL.

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