Fitzmagic is coming to Miami.
Less than a week after trading Ryan Tannehill to Tennessee and failing to sign Tyrod Taylor and Teddy Bridgewater, the Dolphins have landed a viable starting quarterback for the 2019 season: Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick has agreed to a two-year, $11 million deal with the Dolphins, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday, per a source informed of the situation. The team confirmed the signing.
In signing with Miami, the 36-year-old journeyman is joining his eighth NFL franchise and his third in the AFC East.
Fitzpatrick is immediately the most senior and established member of Miami's quarterback room, joining Jake Rudock, Luke Falk and their combined five passing attempts, four seasons and three games of experience.
A Harvard graduate with a penchant for extraordinary bursts of competence, Fitzpatrick spent the last two seasons in Tampa Bay as a spot starter. Fitz started 10 games with the Buccaneers and played in 14, none more notable than the first three games of the 2018 season.
While Jameis Winston sat out a three-game suspension, Fitzpatrick got off to a blazing start to the season, throwing for over 400 yards per game and tossing 11 touchdown passes in Tampa's first three contests. However, his historic run of production came to an end suddenly, as Fitzmagic is wont to do, when Fiztpatrick threw four picks in Weeks 3 and 4 and lost the starting job back to Winston. Fitzpatrick returned to the starting lineup for a three-week stint in November but lost every start, including a loss to Washington in which the QB threw for 406 yards but the Bucs scored just three points.
The Dolphins attempted to sign Taylor, another journeyman QB who most recently spent time with Cleveland, but he joined the Los Angeles Chargers. Miami then courted Bridgewater, who, after initially agreeing to return to New Orleans, heard the Dolphins out before then officially re-signing with the Saints.
In South Florida, Fitzpatrick should go into the 2019 season as Miami's expected starter. The Dolphins are expected to embark on a rebuild with first-year coach Brian Flores at the helm and look for their future franchise quarterback in either this year's or next year's draft. Miami has the 13th overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, but the Dolphins are reportedly targeting Alabama's Tu'a Tagovailoa in next year's proceedings, assuming he enters the 2020 draft.
Until Miami uncovers its next Dan Marino (best-case scenario) or John Beck (worst-case), the veteran Fitzpatrick will be in the building, capable of both tanking the Dolphins to the top of the 2020 draft or willing them to the brink of the postseason (see: 2015 Jets). One thing's for sure: Fitzpatrick's stay in South Florida won't be boring.
