We've talked all off-season about the idea of the Buffalo Bills signing starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to a contract extension. According to WGR 550's Paul Hamilton, that idea is beginning to percolate between Fitzpatrick and the Bills, as Hamilton reports that the two sides have exchanged contract proposals, with Buffalo looking to lock up the 28-year-old starter beyond 2011.
In 14 games as Chan Gailey's starting quarterback of choice, Fitzpatrick has completed 58.4 percent of his passes for 3,208 yards with 27 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. The Bills are 5-9 in those contests. Fitzpatrick will turn 29 this November, and has just started the final year of a three-year free agent deal signed in March of 2009.
In other news, Hamilton also reports that while contract talks between the Bills and Stevie Johnson continue - despite Johnson saying earlier this week that his current plan was to "ride it out" and re-visit the idea after the season - the Bills have not opened negotiations with Roscoe Parrish, and do not have plans to. That directly contradicts a Buffalo News report from September 1.
Back in June, we discussed the high end and low end of possible contract parameters a Fitzpatrick extension would entail. In either case, if it wasn't already abundantly clear, the Bills seem to think they've found their quarterback, at least for the foreseeable future.