Buffalo Bills Release Ryan Fitzpatrick

It's official. The Bills are in the market for a new quarterback. After hearing the comments from Buddy Nix about his gunslinger just a few days ago, I'm not really surprised.  He's done some great things for the Bills, but evidently not enough.  Today the Bills parted ways with Ryan Fitzpatrick.

According to the Bills website it was a very hard decision to let him go.

“We kept every possible option open right down to the wire when we had to make a decision on whether to keep Ryan. In the end, we had to do what we feel is best for our football team and it was a very difficult decision," --Bills GM Buddy Nix.

 

Fitzpatrick had been due a $3 million roster bonus tomorrow (Wednesday, March 13), but it wouldn't have been wise to spend that kind of money on a quarterback who could end up being a backup.

According to the Buffalo News, the Bills had tried to negotiate a new contract with Fitzpatrick but failed. They offered him a four-year deal paying him an average of $3 million a season, but with incentives, he could have earned up to $7 million a year. That’s a far cry from the six-year, $59 million contract he was handed in 2011, $24 million guaranteed.  That contract extension came after he was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Month in September of that year.

Fitzpatrick was signed by the Bills in 2009 as a backup to Trent Edwards, but when Edwards played badly in the first two games of the 2009 season, Fitzpatrick became the starter.

Fitzpatrick threw for 11,654 yards, 80 touchdowns and 64 interceptions.  He ends his career with a record of 20-33.

So who will be next for the Bills?  Do they have a plan for the draft?  Or are they going to put their faith in Tarvaris Jackson?