If the Bills cut bait with Fitzpatrick after this season....

[BertSquirtgum]

They won't be out a ton of money. It appears Buddy was smart enough to put the higher numbers at the end of the contract.

Contract: 7 yr(s) / $62,195,000

Signing Bonus $10,000,000

Average Salary $8,885,000

End Year: 2017 Free Agent: 2018 / Unrestricted

Base Salary S. Bonus Misc. Bonus Cap Hit

2012 2,800,000 2,000,000 1,200,000 6,000,000
2013 4,250,000 2,000,000 4,200,000 10,450,000
2014 4,350,000 2,000,000 4,200,000 10,550,000
2015 7,200,000 2,000,000 1,200,000 10,400,000
2016 8,750,000 - 1,200,000 9,950,000
2017 9,450,000 - 200,000 9,650,000


http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/ryan-fitzpatrick/

[kingJofNYC]

They can get out of the contract easily, will take a cap hit but it won't be that big. He'll be on the roster for one more year for sure.

[YardRat]

It's been pretty well documented that the contract terms were team-friendly if they needed to go in a different direction.

[clumping platelets]

The $4.2 million misc bonus is likely a roster or option bonus. Now declining that bonus does not mean that he is released. It could just void part of the contract and base salaries change upward. Signing bonus proration is loikely unaffected. Would need more details in order to determine if there is "dead cap" if released

[SABURZFAN]

just get rid of him and bring Kelly out of mothballs. he can't do any worse.

[Night Train]

The $4.2 million misc bonus is likely a roster or option bonus. Now declining that bonus does not mean that he is released. It could just void part of the contract and base salaries change upward. Signing bonus proration is loikely unaffected. Would need more details in order to determine if there is "dead cap" if released


My understanding was it's a buyout and that would give them a clean start with someone else without taking any cap hit. It was mentioned a couple times by Buff News Mark Gaughan.

If the Bills suffer another losing season, Brandon will have great difficulty marketing this team for ticket sales going forward unless a new coach and QB are shown to the buying public.

[RedEyE]

I think Chan really needs to get TJack some snaps during the BYE. If Fitz comes out of the gates against Houston in the same way he has all season, it is time to inject another option. I'm not suggestion TJackson would be better, but what the Bills have in Jackson is an unknown and a bit of an investment. They need to test that investment and it would be the prime opportunity to do so.

Because what I don't want to see happen is the Bills play out the season with the inept Fitzpatrick and roll into next season with their unknown investment (TJack) at the helm. If both of these QBs are ****, we need to know well before the draft.

[jdaltroy5]

I think Chan really needs to get TJack some snaps during the BYE. If Fitz comes out of the gates against Houston in the same way he has all season, it is time to inject another option. I'm not suggestion TJackson would be better, but what the Bills have in Jackson is an unknown and a bit of an investment. They need to test that investment and it would be the prime opportunity to do so.

Because what I don't want to see happen is the Bills play out the season with the inept Fitzpatrick and roll into next season with their unknown investment (TJack) at the helm. If both of these QBs are ****, we need to know well before the draft.

T Jax won't be dressing until the 12th game.

Mark my words.

[OpIv37]

How much dead cap would there be if he was cut?

[better days]

I think Chan really needs to get TJack some snaps during the BYE. If Fitz comes out of the gates against Houston in the same way he has all season, it is time to inject another option. I'm not suggestion TJackson would be better, but what the Bills have in Jackson is an unknown and a bit of an investment. They need to test that investment and it would be the prime opportunity to do so.

Because what I don't want to see happen is the Bills play out the season with the inept Fitzpatrick and roll into next season with their unknown investment (TJack) at the helm. If both of these QBs are ****, we need to know well before the draft.

Before the new CBA, teams could use the bye week to change things up, but with the new CBA not so much. The bye week now is vacation time for the players.

[OpIv37]

Before the new CBA, teams could use the bye week to change things up, but with the new CBA not so much. The bye week now is vacation time for the players.

That's annoying. Players can't go 17 weeks without a vacation when they already have 35 weeks a year off? Well, take out OTAs.mini came and training camp- they STILL have half the year where their only job is to stay in shape. Whiny *****es.

[GingerP]

The $4.2 million misc bonus is likely a roster or option bonus. Now declining that bonus does not mean that he is released. It could just void part of the contract and base salaries change upward. Signing bonus proration is loikely unaffected. Would need more details in order to determine if there is "dead cap" if released

The $4.2M is made up of $200K in workout bonus (he has this each year), $3M roster bonus (he has this in 2012 and 2013) and $1M is amortization from his $5M option bonus paid this year. Fitzpatrick received a $10M signing bonus spread at $2M per season from 2011 - 2015. He received a $5M option bonus spread at $1M per year from 2012 - 2016.

The decision comes down to this:

- The Bills are due to pay Fitzpatrick $7.45M in cash next year ($4.25M salary, $200K workout, $3M roster)
- If they cut him, he will have $10M in remaining bonus money to charge off (3 years of his $10M SB, 4 years of his $5M option), that is the dead money.

Do they want to pay Fitz $7.45M? Doubtful, unless they still see him as the starter. You don't pay a backup that much. Thus, they likely cut him and take the $10M dead money charge.

[GingerP]

How much dead cap would there be if he was cut?

$10M.

[stuckincincy]

Before the new CBA, teams could use the bye week to change things up, but with the new CBA not so much. The bye week now is vacation time for the players.

There's no business, like show business, ... :$:

[BertSquirtgum]

This just makes me wonder. Did Buddy know Fitz wasn't good but wanted to give his chosen head coach the man he wanted? I'm probably giving Buddy too much credit.

[OpIv37]

$10M.

That's team friendly? To have $10 million in dead cap? **** that.

Looks like Fitz is here for a while.

[BertSquirtgum]

That's team friendly? To have $10 million in dead cap? **** that.

Looks like Fitz is here for a while.

Well, they already paid 2,000,000 of the signing bonus. So I don't see how it's 10 million dead cap. I see 8,000,000 dead cap.

[BertSquirtgum]

I don't believe all of that counts against the total cap for the year. Clump would know much more about it.

[trapezeus]

bills don't care about cap space, they care about cash to cap space. they paid the $10MM that first year. they already accounted for it. they won't lose sleep over a $8mm fictional number...that's my opinion.

[Albany,n.y.]

T Jax won't be dressing until the 12th game.

Mark my words.

For what team?

[starrymessenger]

This just makes me wonder. Did Buddy know Fitz wasn't good but wanted to give his chosen head coach the man he wanted? I'm probably giving Buddy too much credit.
Don't know for sure of course but my sense of it is that Buddy gives his HC a lot of slack when it comes to what the HC says he thinks he can accomplish with the player. I think that Chan probably sold Buddy on Fitz 4 games into last season. I think Buddy has supported Chan and consequently Fitz but I also think he has always had reservations. Unfortunately Buddy cannot escape responsibility for his part in creating this mess.

[BillsFever21]

Sure they can get out of it after this year if they wish. Every team structures the salaries in that fashion where they increase every season throughout the contract. The team and the players know they will probably never see the huge salaries at the end of the deal. That isn't any kind of smart innovative thing that Buddy Nix just came up with. That is standard practice.

For them reasons listed above that is why the agent and players looks at the guaranteed money they will receive no matter what happens. Fitzpatrick received 24 million in guaranteed money so even if we cut bait with him after this season we still paid a lousy QB that we jumped the gun on 24 million dollars for this season. With the way Ralph operates the budget and the other players we just signed that will definitely hurt us when it comes to keeping guys like Levitre, Bryd, Wood and others when their contract is up after this season or next season.

No matter which way you looked at it they made a horrible deal when they gave a career backup 24 million dollars in guaranteed money after having several good games to start the season. After that he has been putrid. I wouldn't consider that a "smart move" by Buddy Nix.

[more cowbell]

This team is going to go in the season with T Jackson and a rookie as their QB's next season, and I cannot believe I'm saying this, but at this point, I'm fine with it.

[BertSquirtgum]

Better than Putzpatrick.

[SABURZFAN]

This team is going to go in the season with T Jackson and a rookie as their QB's next season, and I cannot believe I'm saying this, but at this point, I'm fine with it.

i'd be happy with Joe Ferguson.

[feldspar]

I don't think there is any "IF" about it. This is Fitzy's make-or-break year. I've said this all along. No way it's otherwise. So far, it's "break." I don't even know how to go about talking about this, since I can't think of a single reason to keep Fitzy on board if he doesn't knock 'em dead for that last 9 games, which I highly doubt. Being well liked is not a reason. There are plenty of people that I like that I wouldn't want to QB my team.

No, the Bills WILL bail on Fitz after this year barring some kind of miracle turnaround.

If and when the Bills draft a QB next year (or get one some other way), I don't see Fitz being on the roster anymore.

Fitz is smart. He went to Harvard (did you know that?). I'm sure he realizes all this. If things don't improve dramatically, there is a greater chance that Gailey is gone than he stays as well. Who the hell else is going to want to go with Fitz moving forward. Fitz has just never shown that he is a starting caliber QB, much less a franchise QB. His days are numbered.

[feldspar]

i'd be happy with Joe Ferguson.

He was no better than Fitz. Wasted 12 years on this guy.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

just get rid of him and bring Kelly out of mothballs. he can't do any worse.

Bring Jack Kemp out of the crypt while you're at it. It would be cool to have a zombie who could win championships running about. :D

[Extremebillsfan247]

The contract is 6 years, 59 million, not 7 and 62 million. Those numbers are wrong. Also, the day they decide to cut ties with Fitzpatrick is the last of Chan Gailey as a Bills HC. Just saying.

[BertSquirtgum]

The contract is 6 years, 59 million, not 7 and 62 million. Those numbers are wrong. Also, the day they decide to cut ties with Fitzpatrick is the last of Chan Gailey as a Bills HC. Just saying.

You sure about that?

[SABURZFAN]

He was no better than Fitz. Wasted 12 years on this guy.


c'mon, nobody dragged their chin in the ground better than Joe Ferguson.

- - - Updated - - -

except MitchMurrayDowntown's mom.