Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff Writer 8y

Jets GM: Focused on only one veteran QB -- Ryan Fitzpatrick

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- No, the New York Jets aren't planning to trade for Los Angeles Rams quarterback Nick Foles. You can forget about that rumor. If you believe the Jets, they're not interested in any veteran quarterbacks except Ryan Fitzpatrick.

"I would say simply, to dispel anything, we're not at this point in time in any discussions with any team for any other quarterbacks," general manager Mike Maccagnan said Saturday during the draft. "I can put that to bed at this point in time."

The Rams, who drafted Jared Goff with the first pick, are reportedly looking to trade Foles. Makes sense. At some point, the Jets may have to acquire a veteran, but their "focus" right now is re-signing Fitzpatrick, according to Maccagnan.

The contract impasse with Fitzpatrick has reached the two-month mark. The Jets' public spin is they're willing to wait until training camp for a resolution. Of course, if they wait that long and don't re-sign Fitzpatrick, they will have wasted the offseason to prep another veteran quarterback -- i.e. free agent Brian Hoyer.

Todd Bowles said they're not sweating the prospect of not having Fitzpatrick for offseason practices, which begin in a couple of weeks.

"With Ryan, probably not so much because he understands the system," Bowles said. "It's good to get a guy in just to have chemistry, but it's not mandatory right now. It's not soon, but when it becomes mandatory, you like to have all your guys in."

Was he referring to the mandatory minicamp in June?

"Not so much minicamp, but training camp," Bowles said.

For now, the Jets have Geno Smith, Bryce Petty and rookie Christian Hackenberg, with Smith the nominal No. 1.

"We've got three guys here we're working with," Bowles said. "We're not just waiting for [Fitzpatrick] to come back. We have guys ready to play. We can only control the guys that are in the building right now. If he comes back, he comes back. When he comes back, we'll be happy to have him back. But, meanwhile, we've got to get the other guys ready to play."

 

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