Titans CEO Tommy Smith said this week that Jake Locker is the team’s starting quarterback heading into the 2014 season, which nips at suggestions or speculation that the Titans look at other starting options after Locker missed large chunks of time because of injuries in the last two seasons.
Even if they aren’t going to look for a new starter, the last two seasons have left the Titans with every reason to be sure that they have a capable backup option waiting should injury strike Locker again. Ryan Fitzpatrick played that role in 2013, starting nine times and completing 62 percent of his passes while throwing 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Fitzpatrick is set to make $2.75 million in 2014 and has a $500,000 roster bonus, which isn’t extravagant for a player in a backup role. That would lead you to believe he’ll return to the team next season, but Fitzpatrick isn’t sweating it either way.
“I’ve learned not to worry about any of that stuff,” Fitzpatrick said, via the Tennessean. “It’s one of those things that if you spend so much time worrying about it ... It’s either going to happen or it’s not. There’s no reason to fret about it before anything happens. It’s obviously something that, as you get older, you get better perspective and maybe better insight as to how the deal works. But I don’t concern myself about that.”
Fitzpatrick shouldn’t have too much concern. Should the Titans decide to move in another direction, he’s unlikely to have trouble finding a new home as a backup with plenty of experience as a starting quarterback.