The New York Jets have signed quarterback Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract with $30 million guaranteed, per multiple reports on Monday.
With Aaron Rodgers’s departure due to the new Jets regime of general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn, New York went the mobile, bridge quarterback route.
Fields, 25, was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. Two head coaches and multiple offenses in three seasons, and he was out the door and headed to Pittsburgh.
The dual-threat quarterback went 4-2 with the Steelers this past season before head coach Mike Tomlin handed the offense to Russell Wilson after he fully recovered from his injury.
In those six games, Fields recorded 10 total touchdowns, five rushing and five passing, threw just one interception, lost one fumble, threw for 1,106 yards, ran for 231 yards, completed 65.8% of his passes, and had a passer rating of 93.3.
Fields is the perfect option for New York’s new offensive coordinator, Tanner Engstrand, who was the passing game coordinator for the Detroit Lions last season in a predominantly heavy-rushing offense.
Run-pass options with Fields and Breece Hall could create more scoring opportunities for this offense. Jets nation might see an offense they’re not used to seeing, with a heavy rushing attack from both the backfield and the quarterback.
The idea behind this move is that it’s cheap, and he’s not the long-term answer unless something improbable happens. Sam Darnold signed a cheap one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings a year ago, and if it hadn’t been for poor performances in Week 18 and the Wild Card Round a season ago, Minnesota could’ve found their guy.
Of course, anything can happen, but the idea is for Fields to be a one-year stop-gap quarterback for New York so that they can potentially find their guy in the 2026 NFL Draft or in free agency.
If the Jets can shore up their offensive line and add a right tackle after Morgan Moses left in free agency to join the New England Patriots on Monday, Gang Green might have a dynamic offense. A new era at quarterback in New York.
