TAMPA, Fla. _ Ryan Fitzpatrick did a pretty good job as the Bucs' No. 2 quarterback the past two seasons. Perhaps too good.
Upon the arrival as head coach, Bruce Arians announced loudly that the Bucs is Jameis Winston's team. Winston also is running out of time as he enters his fifth and final season under his rookie contact.
"He knows _ that's why I said it publicly right at the start _ it's his team," Arians said of Winston. "I believe in this guy."
That belief means that Arians does not want Winston looking over his shoulder. He also wants players to understand they are going to ride or die with their former No. 1 overall pick.
For that reason, Fitzpatrick isn't expected to be re-signed by the Bucs.
Even though the two players are close and Fitzpatrick is extremely popular in the locker room, the Bucs also don't want any appearance of a quarterback controversy.
That happened last season after Fitzpatrick passed for at least 400 yards and three touchdowns in each of his first three games while going 2-1 as Winston was serving a three-game suspension for violating the NFL's player conduct policy.
Winston could have no contact with the team during that period. But he certainly was watching Bucs players and fans embrace "Fitzmagic," including how the veteran quarterback wore DeSean Jackson's jewelry and jacket following a win over the Eagles.
When Winston returned as a starter at Atlanta, he felt pressure to match Fitzpatrick's gaudy passing numbers.
After only three starts, Winston was benched following a four-interception game in a loss at Cincinnati.
"The back and forth with the quarterback situation made the year even odder," Winston said. "Getting benched, it was an odd year. The good thing about that is it's over."
When the Bucs turned back to Winston for the final six games, he was a different quarterback. He threw 11 touchdowns and three interceptions in the final six games of the season, including a Hail Mary and a deflected pass. Winston's passer rating was 97.7 during that stretch.
So Fitzpatrick, who passed for 2,366 yards with 17 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while going 2-5 as a starter, is not expected to return in 2019.
However, the Bucs are interested in re-signing quarterback Ryan Griffin.
While Griffin has never taken a snap in a regular-season NFL game, Arians, quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich like what they've watched on film of both preseason games and practices.
Griffin finished the preseason in 2018 with 518 yards passing with four touchdowns and no interceptions and a passer rating of 105.3.
It's possible the Bucs could enter the market for another veteran backup. But Griffin would pose no position threat to Winston as the starter while providing someone he is used to working with.
