Jameis Winston

Buccaneers sign QB Ryan Fitzpatrick as Jameis Winston's backup

Published May. 19, 2017 10:29 a.m. ET

Cameron DaSilva

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers parted ways with Mike Glennon this offseason, leaving a hole at backup quarterback behind Jameis Winston. On Friday, they filled that gap by signing former Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

https://twitter.com/TBBuccaneers/status/865570335705509888

Fitzpatrick will compete with Ryan Griffin and Sean Renfree for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart, but he’ll need to play much better than he did in 2016 to earn that job. He had 12 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions in 11 starts, going 3-8 with the Jets. He was far better in 2015, when he threw 31 touchdown passes and just 15 interceptions, but that seemed like more of a fluke than a trend.

The Buccaneers hope they never have to deploy Fitzpatrick, Griffin or Renfree because that would mean Winston was injured. However, as we’ve seen for years, backup quarterbacks are important because injuries do happen.

Fitzpatrick will probably never see the field, but it's a smart signing with the Buccaneers adding quarterback depth.

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