After releasing Dwayne Haskins and watching Alex Smith retire, the Washington Football Team was in desperate need of a starting quarterback.
Washington filled that role by signing veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick to a one-year, $10 million contract.
Fitzpatrick is a 16-year veteran of the NFL who most recently played for the Miami Dolphins.
Last season, Fitzpatrick appeared in nine games, starting seven, and completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 2,091 yards and 13 touchdowns.
He also added 151 yards and two scores on the ground.
Fitzpatrick has never been an All-Pro or been a Pro Bowler; he has never won a Super Bowl.
His career record is just 59-86-1.
However, as the Football Team looks to capitalize off their NFC East crown last season, Fitzpatrick could just be the final piece in the puzzle.
Fitzpatrick’s History
Throughout his career, Fitzpatrick has played for the St. Louis (now Los Angeles) Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Dolphins.
His best season came in 2015 with the Jets, when he led the team to a 10-6 record and threw for a career high 3,905 yards and a career-high 31 touchdowns to 15 interceptions.
Throughout his career, Fitzpatrick has appeared in 165 games and has started 146 of them.
Entering his age-39 season, Fitzpatrick is not a world beater and isn’t going to completely revitalize Washington’s quarterback room.
However, he is much, much better than what the team had in Haskins and Smith.
Haskins didn’t make it two seasons with Washington while Smith appeared in eight and started six games for the team last season, throwing for 1,582 yards.
Fitzpatrick’s best weapon is his consistency.
He is a respected veteran for a reason and has both the passing and running ability to help Washington ride their wave of momentum.
Fitzpatrick himself is an upgrade, but how he fits in with what Washington has already built is the biggest prize.
We are T minus three days til the first preseason game and the first player out to the field is … drumroll … Ryan Fitzpatrick, again #WashingtonFootball pic.twitter.com/G2NkjKpTOK
— Mitchell Tischler (@Mitch_Tischler) August 9, 2021
The Offense
Between running back Antonio Gibson, wide receiver Terry McLaurin, and tight end Logan Thomas, Washington already had plenty of talent.
They then went out and signed former Carolina Panthers wide receiver Curtis Samuel.
As a rookie, Gibson appeared in 14 games and started 10, rushing 170 times for 795 yards and 11 touchdowns.
At just 23 years old, Gibson has a stronghold in the Washington running back room and looks to be the present and future of the position for the team.
In his sophomore season, McLaurin started 15 games and caught 87 passes for 1,118 yards and four scores.
McLaurin is Washington’s undisputed wide receiver one and will be one of Fitzpatrick’s main targets.
Thomas burst out onto the scene last season, catching 72 passes for 670 yards and six scores.
The converted-quarterback received a three-year extension worth $24 million this offseason, a sign that Washington thinks Thomas’ breakout was no fluke.
Samuel spent four years with the Panthers.
In that time he appeared in 53 games and caught 185 passes for 2,087 yards and 14 touchdowns.
He actually added 72 rushes for 478 yards and five scores on the ground.
The point to all of this is to say that Fitzpatrick isn’t going to need to be a superstar to succeed.
He has plenty of talent around him who can make plays with the ball in space.
If he can just be consistent in getting them the ball, which he proven he has throughout his career, Washington could be one of the more dangerous offenses in the NFC East.
The Defense
Washington may have one of the most underrated defenses in the entire NFL.
Last season, the Football Team finished second in the entire league with just 4,873 yards allowed.
They ranked 14th in rushing defense and second in passing defense.
Chase Young won 2020 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year last year after making 44 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles.
Next to him are Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, and Montez Sweat.
All are former first-round picks.
Washington even went out and added another defender in first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, selecting former University of Kentucky linebacker Jamin Davis at No. 19.
Davis was lauded for his athleticism and has been making a name for himself during training camp.
One rep #WashingtonFootball practice — first-round pick Jamin Davis lined up on left side slot area over a TE in nickel. Davis read play to the opposite side of field & was just gliding over there (not even close to full speed) and wound up making first contact w/ JD on a swing.
— Chris Russell AKA The Rooster (@Russellmania621) August 8, 2021
Overall, Washington’s defense is on the right and something to keep an eye on in 2021.
For Fitzpatrick, knowing his defense is going to take care of business when they are on the field makes his job easier on offense.
Again, he doesn’t have to be Patrick Mahomes, but if he plays his brand of football, the Football Team could be special.
NEXT: Can Ryan Fitzpatrick Start All 17 Games This Season?