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If Washington had not hired Ryan Fitzpatrick or any other free agency defender, his potential interest in a defender with the overall nineteenth choice in the draft would have been blatant. With Fitzpatrick on the list, it is less obvious that they will grab the quarterback in 19th place.
This makes it more likely that they have the option of catching a defender they like.
If the depth chart simply consisted of Kyle Allen and Taylor Heinecke at the start of the draft, any team that chose below 19th position with an interest in any quarterback who fell in their teens would know that a move ahead of Washington was probably necessary. Now, these teams may be less inclined to make a move, throwing the dice on whether Washington can match the players they have.
Fitzpatrick, who endured being dismissed in 2020 by a rookie in the first round before becoming a substitute pitcher in a sport that doesn’t normally use them, certainly wouldn’t be happy with the prospect of being pushed again. The $ 10 million base salary he will earn in 2021 – almost double his salary in Miami – may be a sign that he won’t have to deal with it again.
Which, in turn, makes it more likely that Washington has the option of defeating a quarterback in 19th place.
No matter how it happens, the move to hire Fitzpatrick increases the possibility that there will be an adequate quarterback remaining on the board when Washington is on the clock, as it makes the team’s need for the position less evident.