New England Patriots Rumors: Ryan Fitzpatrick Talk Intensifies As Tom Brady Drops Appeal And Prepares For Four-Game Ban

The New England Patriots are now resigned to the fact that they won’t have future Hall of Famer Tom Brady for the first four games of this season, and rumors indicate that the team dominating the AFC East for close to two decades is looking to a familiar face to steer the ship in his absence — Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The journeyman quarterback has already completed a half-lap of the AFC East, playing four seasons for the Buffalo Bills and the last season for the New York Jets. But he and the Jets have failed to come to terms on a contract extension, with reports that the two sides still remain millions of dollars apart.

That has left Fitzpatrick as one of the most intriguing free agent prospects remaining in the league. He is coming off the best season of his career, leading the New York Jets to a 10-6 record while throwing a career-best 3,905 yards and 31 touchdowns, but he has struggled with accuracy and interceptions throughout his career, and some believe that last season was a one-off.

While it’s looking increasingly unclear if Fitzpatrick will return to the New York Jets, there is a new opening in New England thanks to the judicial system’s smackdown of Tom Brady. The Patriots quarterback had originally been suspended four games for his role in the DeflateGate scandal, but it was reversed by a federal court last year.

Fast forward one year later, and Brady’s punishment was reinstated by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a decision that both Brady and the Patriots have said they will no longer fight.

Tom Brady — Throws In Towel On Deflategate https://t.co/Hv3JAcrAKN

— TMZ (@TMZ) July 17, 2016

While the New England Patriots seem ready to roll with third-year player Jimmy Garoppolo, there are rumors that they may be seeking a veteran backup with a steady hand who can compete for the job or at least provide some insurance if Garoppolo struggles against a schedule that includes the defensive-minded Buffalo Bills.

The New York Post suggested that Ryan Fitzpatrick could be a target for the Patriots, especially if his ongoing talks with the Jets finally stall out for good.

“For Belichick, it would be an ultimate troll move toward the Jets, the franchise he has despised for 15 years. If he does not have faith in Garoppolo or in rookie Jacoby Brissett, he might feel the need to add a veteran. Fitzpatrick is the best veteran quarterback available.

“The talks between Fitzpatrick and the Jets are going to collapse completely at some point. We probably still are about a month away from that happening. But if Fitzpatrick grows completely frustrated with the Jets, maybe the Patriots are his best option.”

While it’s not clear if the rumors connecting the New England Patriots to Ryan Fitzpatrick will pan out, it does seem more and more likely that the Jets are ready to move on from the quarterback who nearly took them to the playoffs last season.

Former Jets linebacker and current CBS analyst Bart Scott said he believes that Geno Smith is the best option for the Jets right now, which could leave Ryan Fitzpatrick and his demand for starting quarterback salary out of luck.

“I’m sure they would want to [Fitzpatrick] him for what he was able to do,” Scott told NJ Advance Media. “But at the end of the day, we would be having a different conversation if they would’ve made it to the playoffs. I didn’t say he doesn’t have much left. What I’m saying is, Geno went 8-8 [in 2013] with Clyde Gates and some other receivers that we didn’t know of.”

But it’s difficult to tell where the rumors regarding the New England Patriots will go from here. While it may seem unlikely that Ryan Fitzpatrick ends up with his longtime rivals, nothing is out of the question when it comes to the will of Bill Belichick.

[Photo by Gary Wiepert/AP Images]