The reports expressed in this article have not been confirmed by Washington, nor do they reflect any insider information from anyone in the front office.
The Washington Football Team and veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick reportedly agreed to terms Monday night, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Fitzpatrick, 38, is set to join his ninth NFL team after spending the past two seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He threw for 5,620 yards -- the third-most of his career with one team -- and 33 touchdowns in that span. He has completed 60.7% of his passes over the course of 16 seasons and has conducted 18 game-winning drives.
While Fitzpatrick is known as a career journeyman signal-caller, he has proven he can be a consistent starter wherever he goes. He ranks 10th among active quarterbacks in career passing yards (34,977) and touchdowns (223). Pro Football Focus has given him an overall grade of at least 75.1 over the past three seasons -- the best stretch of his career.
Fitzpatrick has made a living off of crafting an aggressive playing style, and that "allows playmakers to create chunk plays down the field," according to PFF. No. 1 wide receivers have thrived when Fitzpatrick started at least 10 games, with players like DeVante Parker, Brandon Marshall and Andre Johnson receiving 125-plus targets in such seasons.
The move allows head coach Ron Rivera and Washington to inject the quarterback position with stability, competition and veteran leadership. Washington recently tendered Kyle Allen, who Rivera said will be ready to participate in training camp after suffering a season-ending ankle injury in 2020, and re-signed Taylor Heinicke, who helped Washington remain competitive in a playoff matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Allen, Heinicke and second-year pro Steven Montez are all under 30 years old and have a combined 19 starts between them. Adding a player like Fitzpatrick, who has started in 146 games, will provide Washington's younger options with a seasoned mentor.
"It's one of those things where it's, this guy gets it," Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said on being mentored by Fitzpatrick. "I don't know what it is, but he gets it and that saying goes true. It says, 'If you want to get somewhere fast, you go alone, but if you want to do it with purpose, then you bring people with you,' and I think 'Fitz' has done a tremendous job in trying to help shape and mold me and Josh [Rosen] as well. So it's been really cool to go through that process with him."
