Washington goes with Fitzpatrick as starter

The Washington Football Team named Ryan Fitzpatrick as its starting quarterback and put an end to talk Cam Newton would reunite with his longtime NFL coach.

Newton, who was released by the New England Patriots on Tuesday, spent nine seasons with current Washington head coach Ron Rivera in Carolina. The 32-year-old Newton was named the NFL MVP during the 2015 campaign with the Panthers.

Rivera acknowledged that Washington is set at the quarterback position.

“It did pop up on our radar, but just so you know, Ryan Fitzpatrick is our starting quarterback,” Rivera said.

Taylor Heinicke will serve as the backup, while Kyle Allen is the team’s No. 3 quarterback.

JETS CUT PROJECTED STARTING CB

Cornerback Bless Austin was waived by the New York Jets on Wednesday, a major surprise considering the third-year pro was slated to start in 2021.

Austin, who has 16 career starts after entering the league as a sixth-round pick in 2019, sat out the pre-season game against the Green Bay Packers for “personal reasons,” according to head coach Robert Saleh.

SAINTS-PACKERS GAME RELOCATED

The New Orleans Saints will host their NFL season-opener against the Green Bay Packers in Jacksonville, Fla.

The Saints were forced to find a new venue as New Orleans was walloped by Hurricane Ida.

The Saints evacuated to and have been practicing in Dallas, however a concert at AT&T Stadium prevented them from playing the game at the Cowboys’ home stadium.

HADEN TO TEST FREE AGENCY IN 2022

The agent for Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joe Haden said the three-time Pro Bowl player will play out his current deal and test free agency in 2022.

Haden earlier this month said he wanted to sign an extension with the club to remain in Pittsburgh beyond this season. But the Steelers don’t negotiate contract extensions during the regular season, which begins Sept. 12.

Further, the Steelers are still engaged with pass rusher T.J. Watt on a new deal, one that is expected to make him the highest-paid defensive player in the league.

RELEASES NOT RELATED TO JABS

The Jacksonville Jaguars on Wednesday issued a statement dismissing the notion that any player was released because of their vaccination status.

The statement came one day after Jaguars coach Urban Meyer said he and general manager Trent Baalke considered a player’s vaccination status during final roster cuts.

Meyer’s comments were not well received by the NFL Players Association, which has since launched an investigation into the matter. .