This is just poor asset management by Rivera and company. I don't understand at all what they're trying to accomplish this off season. They had specific needs going into the off season and instead, they let two defensive starters walk and sign a 38 year old quarterback for the same money that Darby got from Denver. It makes no sense what so ever.
I'm pissed. Like this is some Bruce Allen kind of bad. Incredibly infuriating.
They clearly needed a veteran QB for less money than Smith as a stopgap because the 2 others on the roster aren't QB1 or stars of the future, at least not that we can bank on. Smith's dead cap is $8.6M I think so that probably limited further spending at the position. They clearly believed Smith would not hold up for the money.
A comparison of Smith and Fitz from 2005 to 2020:
Even playing for bad teams in various stages of rebuilding Fitz has only thrown for more INTs than TDs twice at the very start of his career (by 1 INT each year) and for the crappy Jets in 2016. His INT ratio is a tiny bit higher than Smith but Smith also had the advantage of playing for much better teams.
We know what Fitz is bringing and that includes the kind of character and grit this team is searching for on the field and in the locker room. Contrast that with the "country club" days under Allen and others.
Dallas has locked up Dak, Philly has Hurts, and NYG have Jones. Who was WFT going to get that has that same long-term potential? Darnold was probably the only remotely similar option and it's a "meh" kind of gamble.
Which of the available, likely QBs are clearly better than Fitz the last few years?
WFT were never, ever going to land Watson so if that's what people were hoping for it's pie in the sky.