The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Fitzpatrick signs 1-year deal with Jets
The New York Jets and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick ended their five-month contract dispute. The two sides finalized a one-year, $12 million contract on Wednesday.
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. >> NFL sources have confirmed that New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has signed a one-year deal worth $12 million with another $3 million in incentives. It ends a five-month contract dispute between Fitzpatrick and the Jets, who begin training camp this week.
The Jets need to create salary cap space for Fitzpatrick. They have only $9.1 million in camp space, according to NFL Players Association records.
Fitzpatrick starred for the Jets’ 10-6 team last season after a trade with the Texans. His record as a starter is 43-61-1 in 11 seasons, including no playoff appearances. COUGHLIN JOINING NFL OPERATIONS STAFF >> Tom Coughlin will be joining the NFL’s football operations staff, a person with knowledge of the agreement tells The Associated Press.
The two-time Super Bowl-winning coach will work closely with Troy Vincent and with the NFL’s game-related committees in an advisory role.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the NFL has not yet announced the hiring.
Coughlin won 170 games in his 20 years as an NFL head coach, including the 2007 and 2011 league championships when the Giants beat the Patriots in Super Bowls. He also was the original coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars and got them into the playoffs in 1996, their second season. He left the Giants after they went 6-10 in 2015, their fourth straight season out of the playoffs.
Considered an offensive mastermind, Coughlin sought several coaching jobs last offseason, but didn’t take any. JETS SIGN PIERCE, WAIVE STACY >> The New York Jets have signed running back Bernard Pierce and waived running back Zac Stacy, who failed his physical after missing the last half of last season with a broken left ankle.
The team announced the moves Wednesday, a day before it holds its first practice of training camp.
Pierce ran for just 11 yards on six carries in seven games last season with Jacksonville after spending his first three NFL seasons with Baltimore. He ran for a career-best 532 yards as a rookie with the Ravens in 2012 after being a thirdround pick out of Temple.
Pierce was released by Baltimore in March 2015, when he was charged with drunken driving. He was claimed off waivers by Jacksonville the next day.
The NFL announced in May that Pierce will be suspended for the first two games of this season, likely stemming from the DUI arrest.
Stacy ran for 89 yards in eight games for the Jets last season, but he was lost for the rest of the season in November when he broke his ankle on a kickoff return.
Jets, Lee agree on fouryear deal >> The New York Jets and first-round draft pick Darron Lee have agreed to terms on a fouryear contract worth $10.2 million that
Lee was on his way to New Jersey on Wednesday, a few hours after players reported for physicals at the team’s facility. The linebacker will likely participate in the Jets’ first training camp practice on Thursday.
Lee was the 20th overall pick out of Ohio State and is expected to have a big role as a rookie in coach Todd Bowles’ defense. Because of his speed and athleticism, he’ll likely be used as a hybrid linebacker who can play in different spots.
While the amount of money is slotted for draft picks, the hang-up on the deal was the default language in the guarantees the Jets were looking for and the guaranteed percentage Lee’s representatives wanted. Lee ended up getting the full four years guaranteed, as desired, but New York can recoup some of that money if the linebacker is cut at any point for non-football reasons. RAMS RELEASE FOLES >> The Los Angeles Rams released quarterback Nick Foles on Wednesday after failing to find a trade destination for the disgruntled veteran.
The Rams announced the move one day before their veterans report to training camp for their homecoming season in Southern California.
Foles hasn’t been around the Rams since they traded up to choose California quarterback Jared Goff with the No. 1 pick in the draft this spring. The veteran skipped offseason workouts while Los Angeles attempted to trade him. is fully guaranteed.