The standoff between Ryan Fitzpatrick and the New York Jets is hardly over.
While the two parties attempt to iron out the terms on a contract that would keep Fitapatrick playing in 2016, the Jets reportedly have not given away his locker.
According to a report by Seth Walder of The New York Daily News, Fitzpatrick’s old locker remains open and available for him to move back.
More than that, while the Jets look for a way to retain the free agent, Fitzpatrick is apparently busy rescuing children from trees and stuff.
“Yeah. He’s doing good,” Marshall said, via the NY Daily News. “Yesterday one of his kids was stuck in a tree. So we were like Facetiming and he’s like, ‘Oh, I’ve got to get my kid. He’s stuck in a tree.’ He’s funny. His beard is back. Like literally, all the way back.”
According to the report, Marshall didn’t discuss any details regarding Fitzpatrick’s contract situation and he advised his quarterback to “keep his head up.”
Apparently that’s exactly what the veteran was doing when chatting with his receiver.
Marshall is personally in a tough spot. He supports the return of Fitzpatrick and made that openly known when he and fellow receiver Eric Decker skipped out on the earlier off-season activities in protest.
On the other hand, Marshall and Geno Smith are friends as well, even rooming together for a brief time when Marshall was traded from the Bears.
At this time, all Marshall and the Jets’ offense can do is fully participate and develop their rapport with Smith assuming that he could be the starter come Week 1.
If the Jets and Fitz eventually come to terms, it is possible that he and Smith could compete for the starting job depending on how much Smith progresses in the upcoming weeks.
On a side note, it is handy to know that Fitzpatrick can still agilely climb a tree and grow a beard faster than this year’s Stanley Cup Finals participants.