Which Fitzpatrick will we see?

by Ryan Ebert

When the Bills signed QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to a seven-year $62 million contract in October which includes $10 million in signing bonus and $24 million guaranteed, it brought up some questions. 

The money paid to Fitzpatrick is money paid to a top five quarterback. So when the Harvard graduate threw 17 picks in the last 10 games of the season with a 70.1 passer rating and a 2-8 record, the franchise must have felt sick about themselves.

Before the big time contract Fitzpatrick in six games threw 12 TDs, 6 picks, and had a 95.3 rating. So who will we see this year we are wondering?

In OTAs right now coaches are happy with what they see from the seventh-round draft pick.

"I didn't anticipate him hitting the back shoulder (throw) until the middle of camp and he just nailed that one," quarterbacks coach David Lee said Friday, according to the official team site. "He hit the go route, which bothered him last year especially to his left."

"I'm really pleased with how quickly he's taken to it, but it's not muscle memory yet because we haven't done it long enough. He's improving, but he's not yet where he's going to be."

Fitzpatrick has made Lee believe he can be the leader that the team can rally around.

"You've got to be a pressure player," he said. "What he did out there against Oakland last year (a three-TD effort in a 38-35 comeback win in Week 2) we need him do it four or five times this year because that's what's required at our position right now."