Don’t expect Brian Hoyer to stay unemployed for long after being released by the Houston Texans Sunday. Jason La Canfora reported the New York Jets as one of the teams showing interest in the veteran journeyman, and he says it’s “very likely” they schedule a visit with Hoyer as soon as this upcoming week.
Certainly, Hoyer would fit New York’s budget, which isn’t exactly overflowing with extra cash these days.
And quite honestly, it’s hard to argue he’s much worse than Ryan Fiztpatrick, who threw 31 touchdowns for Gang Green last year.
Speaking of Fitzpatrick, he and the Jets remain miles apart in contract talks. The latest in this ongoing saga is that the Jets don’t think Fitzpatrick is worth much more than $8 million (but it is more than the $7-8 million previously reported) and that the quarterback is seeking upwards of $16 million.
Even worse, at least for Fitzpatrick, is team owner Woody Johnson’s answer when he was asked if it is imperative for the Jets to re-sign him for the upcoming year.
“No,” Johnson said, per Daryl Slater of NJ.com. “I think this is a big team. We’ve made our statements regarding Ryan Fitzpatrick well-known, and I’ll stick with those that we’ve made.”
If the Jets could bring in Hoyer for, say, $5-6 million on a two-year deal and bring in another rookie passer (assuming Geno Smith isn’t someone they like), then they’d be in about the same position they would be in if Fitzpatrick were still with them in terms of production at the quarterback position.
In the past two years, here’s how they stack up against one another in terms of raw stats:
How much difference would it make it Brian Hoyer were QB for #Jets instead of Ryan Fitzpatrick?
Last two years: pic.twitter.com/6HK99iN4ii
— Sportsnaut (@Sportsnaut) April 18, 2016
Keep in mind, as well, that Hoyer started six games less than Fitzpatrick and didn’t have the same weapons last year that Fitzpatrick did in New York. Playing with receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker would make life easier for any quarterback.
With all this in mind, it makes perfect sense that the Jets would be interested in bringing Hoyer aboard for the 2016 season with an extra year built into the contract in case things work out.
Or, this could just be one more last-ditch effort by the franchise to convince Fitzpatrick to take less money to come back.