The Jets and Ryan Fitzpatrick might really be headed for divorce

Even though Ryan Fitzpatrick was slated to be a free agent, for the first part of the offseason it seemed inevitable he'd be back with the New York Jets.

Then time passed. And more time passed. There was no agreement. And here we are, on Day 2 of NFL free agency, and not only is Fitzpatrick not a Jet, there's a report that there's no deal in sight.

Lost in the hoopla of the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos losing quarterback Brock Osweiler to the Houston Texans was the Fitzpatrick-Jets stare down. ESPN's Adam Schefter said Thursday the Jets and Fitzpatrick are "nowhere close" to an agreement.

This might all work out because these things often have a way of getting done, but that's not always the case. Ask the Broncos. Fitzpatrick had 3,905 yards and 31 touchdowns last year. The Jets won 10 games. After watching Geno Smith fail to live up to his promise, having a good, reliable quarterback was a gift for the Jets last season.

The quarterback market, though, is out of control. Sam Bradford and Osweiler each got $18 million a year, so you can imagine that Fitzpatrick isn't interested in a cut-rate deal. But you can also see why the Jets don't want to break the bank for him. Fitzpatrick is 33 and his 2015 season is well ahead of his career norms. He has just an 80.8 rating with six NFL teams.

Complicating matters, and bringing this all full circle, is that the Broncos need a quarterback with Osweiler gone. Fitzpatrick can at the very least use the Broncos as leverage, if Denver shows interest. Denver's championship window is still open, and Fitzpatrick is the safest option available. All of a sudden, the Jets might face real competition for Fitzpatrick's services.

If Fitzpatrick leaves the Jets, they'll face some of the same questions the Broncos are now. There isn't much left in free agency at quarterback. There's a reason Colin Kaepernick would be available in a trade, or Robert Griffin III is a free agent. The draft doesn't have a ton of great quarterbacks and the Jets don't pick until No. 20 in the first round. Smith is still on the roster, but try selling Jets fans on turning back to him.

So there's a battle of wills over money. Fitzpatrick understands that he's the best option for the Jets, and that's his leverage. The Jets don't want to pay him what he wants, but it's tough to head into the unknown at quarterback in the NFL, especially after winning 10 games and coming so close to the playoffs last season. Their reunion looked like a sure thing when the offseason started, but at this moment the Jets still need to figure out who their quarterback will be in 2016.