Fitzpatrick was scheduled to — and will still — make $3.22 million this season as he was in the final year of a three-year $7.4 million contract.
He will now receive a $10 million signing bonus on top of that. And in March, Fitzpatrick will receive a $5 million option bonus. Thus, within the next five months, he will add $15 million to his career earnings, dwarfing what has been already made.
Take a step back and really look at Chan Gailey’s system in Buffalo, because Jackson is the key player in this offense. The RB has posted over 1,000 yards of total offense (721 rushing, 353 receiving) and has 6 TDs to go along with it. Jackson has shown top tier ability to cut back, exploit the second level of the defense and is a tough matchup for a SS/LB in the passing game. Take him out of that offense and we aren’t talking about the Bills as a first place team with a 5-2 record.
Buffalo’s final seven opponents are currently 19-31. If the Bills win the next two games and lose three of their final seven, they finish 11-5.
Linebacker Nick Barnett has played 444 snaps this season; with the next-highest true linebacker on the team only having 109 snaps.
Chan Gailey describes the effects of the no huddle offense for the American Football Coaches Association.
There are many reasons the Bills are one of the AFC’s breakout team at 4-2. The players know coach Chan Gailey’s system better, and Gailey, in his second year as coach, now knows how to use those players better. Wide receiver Stevie Johnson, running back Fred Jackson and Fitzpatrick have improved. The defense leads the league in forcing turnovers, including four interceptions of Tom Brady in the team’s come-from-behind statement win over the New England Patriots in Week 3.
