from Buffalowins.com

Welcome, Ryan Fitzpatrick....THE FRANCHISE QB

• As I've written about in the past, the going rate for starters is around 8-10 million bucks a year. Fitzpatrick deserved the contract extension. He's proven that he can put up numbers in this league and has gotten better every year he's been in Buffalo. When you look at his contract in comparison to the likes of Eli Manning, who is making 100-million, you have to feel good about it. You can also throw in Kevin Kolb, Kyle Orton and Matt Cassel's contracts as a barometer to how this deal works out for the Bills.

• This is a statement move from the organization. Actually, more like a first step for them in getting rid of the perception that they are cheap. Don't get me wrong, I believe the Bills are very frugal with their contracts, but you can't ignore that they have given over 90-million in contracts to Kyle Williams and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Yes, they aren't guaranteed, but we should keep notice. 

• Of course, this is a first step. Fred Jackson and Stevie Johnson await new contracts. From what I heard, Jackson is going to be next up when it comes to extension talk. As for Stevie, from my source, it looks like the Bills will be franchising him. If the Bills don't reach new deals with these players, the jury on the franchise being cheap will still be out.

• It will also be interesting to see how fans react to it. You hear all the Ryan Miller complaints about "Wanting your elite goalie to steal games or make difficult saves" (Who? Me?). Well, get ready to hear that if Fitzpatrick makes a bad throw or doesn't pull a game out. The whole Harvard guy and no one wanted him rhetoric will become passe. Money does that. How many times have you, yes, YOU, changed your opinion about someone, even a friend, who makes a ton of money? A sense of jealousy happens I believe with fans when players make money. It makes them feel good to criticise a rich athlete IMO. Don't believe me? Where was the Miller criticism from 05-08? Didn't exist really, until he got paid.

• I have no problem with the deal, but as a person who likes to have all my angles covered, I do worry if I'm just hoping for this guy to be "The Man" out of desperation. It has been so long since this franchise had something to believe in. To me, in order for this to all work for the Bills and Fitz, the organization needs to find more pieces to the puzzle. Fitzpatrick is not Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers. Not yet at least. You can't just have it be #14 and a bunch of spare parts. The Bills need to find him more pieces to the puzzle. Surround Fitzpatrick with talent. You put Fitz on the Jets or Ravens, that's a 12-13 win team. If they don't fix the defense, we aren't going anywhere in the long term. 

• I do wonder how much Fitz's deal will hamper the team's ability to re-sign players. As I've alluded to it many times, the Bills are careful when it comes to spending money on the team. They now have the richest deal in club history invested in Fitzpatrick. Will they go out and get a couple of other pieces?

• As for the timing of this deal. Yes, it probably took a little too long than it needed to be. However, I'm not going to split many hairs with it because we still have time before the season ends. If March 1st hits, and Stevie and Fred aren't happy, then I will join the parade of throwing the organization under the bus. Of course, if stuff gets leaked out, I may throw a grenade in. Bottom line: The team should re-sign these guys.

• Who would have thunk it that Ryan Fitzpatrick would be getting a 59-million dollar deal? Just go back to a year ago at this time. Crazy.

• As for a fan perspective, you can't ask for a better guy to cheer for than Fitzpatrick. I have gone over all the pleasantries he has. No ego, easy going and just a great story. It will probably be hard for bloggers and even some in the media to call this guy out. Jerry Sullivan can say all he wants that he's not a fan of the Bills, but if you've been reading his chats or articles, he's smitten by #14. Hey, not blaming him either. 

• With that being said, he will be a goldmine for talk show hosts. When I took Sports Talk 101 at Buffalo State, my teacher, who use to be the sports director at WGR, said that getting people worked up/pissed off is what you want in talk radio. Conflict, right? Fitz will be that guy just like Ryan Miller has become. Why? Because they are popular with their fan bases and the Millermanics and Fitmagicites will come in droves to defend them. Yes, Fitz will become the new Ryan Miller.