The Jets inked Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million deal this offseason. This contract makes Fields seem like the Jets’ bridge quarterback, but is there a chance that he can be their long-term guy?
Fields needs to impress in year one
The Jets demonstrated that they have faith in the former first-round pick, signing him to a deal worth $20 million per season. However, the short-term length of the contract shows that they are wary of his flaws.
His elusive nature is what makes him so hard to bring down, making his rushing ability elite. However, his passing game has been subpar in his short NFL career so far. Fields hasn’t lived up to what he was supposed to be.
Last season, in six games started with the Steelers, Fields put up 1,106 yards through the air, with five touchdowns and only one interception. On the ground, the Ohio State alum had 289 yards and five touchdowns as well, but he did fumble the ball six times.
This won’t be enough to impress the Jets’ brass. He will need to show that he has something the Jets need. Fields especially needs to impress in year one because of the uncertainty that the team will face entering the 2026 offseason.
The upcoming draft class is loaded with quarterback talent
The 2026 quarterback draft class is projected to be loaded with talent.
There are a bunch of talented players in this impressive class. Headlined by South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, and possibly even Texas’s Arch Manning, this next draft class has a bunch of guys the Jets could be interested in.
But they won’t be interested in them if Fields proves to be their guy. If Fields can lead them to a playoff berth, they will not question him, and he will likely return as their signal-caller in 2026.
But if they underperform again like last season, they could use their first-round pick on a new guy. It will be interesting to see what the Jets do with their quarterback situation, and it’ll all depend on Fields’s performance this season.
More about: New York Jets
