Back in March of 2009, the Buffalo Bills signed quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to a three-year, $9 million deal to serve as the backup to incumbent starter Trent Edwards.
Flash forward 29 months. Fitzpatrick is the team's starter (and may be in line for a much bigger pay raise with a strong season), and the Bills have inked his backup to a three-year, $11 million deal.
At least, that's the assumption we're making based on this tweet from Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Kelly writes that the Miami Dolphins wanted to bring back Tyler Thigpen, but not for three years and $11 million - which we're guessing Thigpen received from the Bills to back up Fitzpatrick and re-unite with head coach Chan Gailey.
Assuming that the NFL's new Collective Bargaining Agreement gets ratified today - and all indications are that it will, despite it not being a lock - the new league year will begin today, and signed free agents will be allowed to practice with their new teams. That means Bills fans are likely to see Thigpen and his hefty new contract on the field tonight.