Throughout the history of the New York Jets, there hasn’t been much to be wowed by at the quarterback position. A lot of hope, some top draft choices, some Hall of Fame talents, but none of them were that great on the Jets.
Most recently, there were Aaron Rodgers and Zach Wilson, two players who were expected to turn this franchise around, but it just didn’t work. Even Jordan Travis, a late-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, couldn’t heal correctly from a broken leg, forcing him to medically retire after just one season in the league.
Let’s talk about the situation at hand and why Jets fans should be cautious while banking on Justin Fields at the quarterback position.
The Jets’ recent quarterback issues
Zach Wilson was supposed to change this franchise and turn everything going wrong around in 2021. But, I would say the opposite probably happened.
Wilson never got his feet underneath him and never seemed to get comfortable playing the position. In his rookie 2021 campaign, he threw for 2,334 yards and nine touchdowns with 11 interceptions.
Wilson continued on as the starting quarterback for the next season, and pretty much the year after, because of injuries, but he never seemed to break through.
Aaron Rodgers, similar to Wilson, was seen as the savior of this Jets franchise. A proven, Hall-of-Fame veteran quarterback was brought in to be elite right away. But in 2023, his debut was cut short just four plays into the season due to an Achilles tear.
This started the heavy downfall of Rodgers, as he came back in 2024 but disappointed many with his 5-12 record and mediocre stat line of 3,897 yards with a 28-11 TD-INT ratio. Unfortunately, Rodgers never lived up to the hype, and never fit in with the Jets.
Along with these two major swings and misses, there are other busts to be remembered, like Sam Darnold, Geno Smith, Mark Sanchez, and others really couldn’t adjust to New York.
What is also noticeable about those listed players, specifically Darnold and Smith, is that they have moved on to become solid starting quarterbacks elsewhere. Both have signed new extensions and become starting quarterbacks.
The Jets have a problem getting quarterbacks adjusted and finding ones that fit in. Will Justin Fields be any different?
The risks of Justin Fields
This past offseason, new general manager Darren Mougey inked former Bears and Steelers quarterback Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million deal. He had a decent season last year with the Steelers before getting benched for Russell Wilson, leading the team to a 4-2 record, with a 5-1 TD-INT ratio. But, will his winning ways of last season transfer to 2025?
Jets fans expect a lot out of their team, and at the helm of that is their quarterback. There will be a big expectation to succeed this season, and for their offense to look competent.
Fields, while winning, did not look great with his arm. He only had 1,100 yards and five touchdowns passing, combining his six games starting last season with others he played in. Not great numbers from a passing perspective.
However, his elusive legs are very impressive, as that is his calling card. He totaled 289 yards and five touchdowns rushing last season.
The Jets have a new offensive coordinator in Tanner Engstrand as well, who may look to utilize Fields’s rushing abilities a lot more and will shy away from a lot of drop-back situations. However, the quarterback’s lack of success through the air might prove to be a problem.
How the Jets can finally succeed at quarterback
For Fields to get adjusted to New York, he needs to feel welcomed by the fans. Along with the fans accepting him for who he is, the coaching staff needs to play to his strengths. They cannot treat him like a pocket passing quarterback. That’s not his game. Instead, they need to lean into his strengths and maximize his dual-threat abilities.
Engstrand is a great offensive mind, but he doesn’t have much experience with mobile quarterbacks. Will he make sure to utilize the type of talent that he has? Will Fields’s legs be overutilized? Underutilized?
There are a lot of questions going into next season, the biggest one being Justin Fields. Will he prove the Jets’ front office right for signing him, or will they be let down similarly to the past few seasons?
