Ryan Fitzpatrick

Ryan Fitzpatrick remains a free agent. (AP Photo | Bill Wippert)

Bart Scott, the outspoken former Jets linebacker, ripped quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick during a recent interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio.

Scott, now a CBS analyst, went after Fitzpatrick, who thrived as a starter for the 10-6 Jets last season, but currently remains unsigned.

Two months after free agency began, the Jets (just like other quarterback-needy teams) haven't been willing to meet Fitzpatrick's contract demands.

Fitzpatrick, 33, is clearly in the latter stages of his career, so he isn't the quarterback of the future for anybody. Which is why teams are wary of giving him big money.

Scott pointed that out in his remarks to SiriusXM NFL Radio, which you can listen to down below:

"Fitz don't have a leg to stand on, man. He is who he is. You can have great teams and great records, but at this point, pretty much everybody knows who he is. He's a quality guy. On another 20 teams in the league, he would be a backup. The only teams that he would start for are the teams that have bad quarterback situations. He's a bridge guy, a glue guy.

"OK, he wants $15 [million] because [Brock] Osweiler [got big money from Houston]. But [Osweiler] hasn't reached his ceiling yet. They're paying for his potential, what he might be able to become. It's all downhill right now for Fitz. They're surrounding him with tremendous talent. You can't get your feelings hurt. This is business. Whoever his agent is [Jimmy Sexton] has to understand that this is the market. He's [Brian] Hoyer. That's who you are. Accept it.

"You made a lot of money in this league [about $39 million total]. Now you can either try and play hardball and not have a team, [or have] a tremendous situation, to really change the trajectory of your career, so people can change the narrative about what they feel about Ryan Fitzpatrick as a quarterback. He has an opportunity to do that. But it ain't about the money no more.

"All these people are tripping about money and respect. Man, come on, man. It's a lot of people out there that are underpaid and there are a lot of people that are overpaid. You had your opportunity when you had your leverage in Buffalo [from 2009-12]. You got paid, you took advantage of it. You don't get to cash in twice, bro. It's only 32 jobs. If you don't take it, somebody will. One thing I know about the NFL is they will turn the page and move on."

Scott, ever bombastic, actually raises a lot of reasonable points here.

Look, nobody is begrudging Fitzpatrick for wanting one more big contract before he retires. (OK, maybe Scott is sort of begrudging him.) But if no team is willing to pay that money, what's the point of continuing to demand it? Fitzpatrick could always retire, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

He is coming off a career year (31 touchdowns and 15 interceptions), but on a whole, he hasn't been an elite quarterback during his career. And he is 33.

So it's not a matter of the Jets disrespecting Fitzpatrick by offering him less than what he wants, as Scott said. Why should they pay him what he wants if no other team is going to match that higher offer? It wouldn't make good business sense.

The Jets do want Fitzpatrick back (at the right price), and it's easy to understand why. He mostly performed well last season. His top wide receivers, Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, love playing with him. And the Jets' current quarterbacks are Geno Smith (failed starter), Bryce Petty (second-year pro), and Christian Hackenberg (rookie).

Maybe Hackenberg will develop into the Jets' future starting quarterback, but he's not that right now. So it would behoove the Jets to let the kid sit and learn from a veteran like Fitzpatrick in 2016 -- if, that is, the Jets are able to re-sign Fitzpatrick.

Here's the full interview Scott did with SiriusXM NFL Radio:

Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DarrylSlater. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.