When the Jets made the move to sign free agent quarterback Justin Fields, two things were made clear based on the makeup of his contract. First, with only a two-year deal, it was clear that this is still a prove-it contract for the young passer. Second, the $30MM of guaranteed money at signing for the $40MM deal indicated an expectation that Fields will be the starter throughout the duration of the contract. 
This past weekend at the annual league meetings, new Jets general manager Darren Mougey confirmed that second point. According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, Mougey made it clear that Fields is QB1 for the 2025 NFL season.
“We believe Justin is the starter,” Mougey told the media. “We believe in Justin. We believe we can win with Justin, so we’re excited about Justin.”
Fields, drafted 11th overall in 2021 by the Bears, had a rough start to his career in Chicago. The Ohio State product started his rookie season coming off the bench behind veteran Andy Dalton. A knee injury to Dalton forced Fields into action in Week 2. Fields led the team to a win in relief but went 2-6 in the first eight starts of his career. A rib injury led him to miss two games before losing his next two starts, and an ankle injury forced him out for the rest of the year. In his rookie season, Fields went 2-8 as a starter, throwing only seven touchdowns to 10 interceptions while adding two more scores on the ground.
In his sophomore campaign, as a full-time starter, Fields showed significant improvement statistically. While his team finished 3-12 in his 15 starts, Fields improved his passing numbers with 17 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. He broke out as a rusher, too, with 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns, but he led the NFL with 16 fumbles. In 2023, Fields once again worked as a full-time starter, though he missed four games with a dislocated shoulder and thumb. The Bears improved to 5-8 with Fields as the starter, and Fields was able to record career-high passing numbers despite playing two fewer games than 2022. He rushed much less as a result, though.
2024 saw Fields traded to Pittsburgh where he soon began competing with Russell Wilson for the starting job. It was announced prior to the start of the year that Wilson had won the starting job, but a calf injury forced Fields into the starting role for the first six weeks of the season. Fields played some of the best football of his career as a Steeler, completing 65.8 percent of his passes for 1,106 yards while throwing five touchdowns to only one interception in six games. He also rushed for 289 yards and five touchdowns during his time with the Steelers.
The Jets will hope to see Fields continue in his year-to-year improvement. In Year 5, Fields will be suiting up for his third NFL team. While the running backs group mostly looks the same, the Jets have lost some pieces in their passing and blocking game. With the draft and spring ball coming up, New York still has time to add bodies.
With Fields in place as the starter, and a reliable backup in place in Tyrod Taylor, the Jets should feel good about their quarterbacks roster. If there were any doubt in Fields being an effective starter, it would make sense to see New York go for a quarterback fairly early in the draft, in the hopes of developing him into the future leader of the offense should Fields falter. While it still makes sense for the team to take a flyer on a young passer, that draft pick would likely be coming on Day 2 or 3. With a fairly deep group of passing prospects, the Jets should have plenty of options.
I respect the confidence they have in fields. If this works out it will be the biggest ROI in recent years. A lot of teams didn’t have faith in fields this offseason and last year
They don’t have to go for a QB if they want to see what they have in Jordan Travis.
Exactly…I don’t know why these Football TR writers have to continually say the Jets could probably select a “young QB” in the upcoming draft to, basically, fill out their roster. THEY ALREADY DID THAT LAST YEAR! They also have another young QB (Martinez) on their developmental squad. Is drafting yet another QB in the 6th or 7th round this time (in a poor year for QBs) going to compete with those already on the roster and make a difference??
It’s because Travis was drafted by a completely different regime. If they pick a “young, developmental” passer later on then they clearly don’t like him like the Douglas front office did.
They publicly stated that they “like” him and he’ll have a chance to compete when 100% healthy. But why his recovery is still ongoing is the thing in question after all this time. There seems to be a cloud over their relationship now, and that would be the ONLY reason they draft another QB or sign an undrafted player post-Draft. I just can’t see the Jets wasting even a late round pick on a probable 3rd string QB when there’s other areas of need on that roster…but they ARE the Jets!
link to jetsxfactor.com
Based on the headline, if he’s not traded, yes, he’ll start the season with the Jets.
I was thinking the same thing. Who else is he starting for? It should read he will be the starter this season for the jets.
You can win with Fields if you surround him with the right people. The Bears didn’t. The Steelers are idiots. Tomlin made a complete fool of himself and keeps doing it. Is Fields Llamar Jackson? No. But he can keep the chains moving keep your defense off the field and that adds up to winning football. Why do you think the Steelers defense was so POed when he was benched for no reason? I’d like to see somebody do right by Fields before he hangs em up at least.
Geezus- therein lies the problem- surround him with enough talent. That’s code for not a complete QB. This is a band aid. The guy can’t function as a passer. Not only that, don’t get stupid dreams of the Dart guy from Ole Miss- same problem. He was never taught to diagnose a defense.
I didn’t say enough talent. It’s not like I said he needs 10 Pro Bowlers on his side to be successful. I said specifically, ” The right people”. With Fields you need quick O Lineman who can change on a dime and can move the pocket, You probably need a stud RB but that’s not impossible anymore. You also need an OC who can design that kind of offense for him and a couple of quick WR’s who can get open in a hurry, Also not hard to find. Mostly you need an OC who believes in him and doesn’t try to make him a pocket passer because we know that doesn’t work. And last but not least you have to get a B/U who plays like him so your whole offense doesn’t have to change if he goes down for awhile. Mostly you need someone who has a vision of what he IS good at and doesn’t try to make him do something he’s NOT good at.
You are missing the key point-word. Right people. To me that means a supporting cast of good players and coaches. Look at some of the top teams in the league right now. Philly, KC, Detroit. They have all the necessary parts on all sides of the ball and some good coaching that make their QB a more complete player.I’ll always argue this point-Would Mahomes be the QB he is if the Bears drafted him-A resounding absolutely not. The Bears are and remain a disastrous franchise until proven otherwise. Maybe they are headed in the right direction now.
sooo you could surround Malik Willis (who actually has a winning record) and he can win … he is 3-2 and one of those loses was to the chiefs in OT so easily could be 4-1 and 2-1 would have been with the Titans. The Jets could have saved a ton of money and traded a day 2 or maybe 3 pick and had like 30 million to get the right people. Same could be true with Mac Jones who went to the playoffs rookie year. Tim Tebow … the list goes on and on. Heck Trent Dilfer won a superbowl because they had the right team around him.
I wish Fields the best but put a person around the right people and yes they could be carried to victory too. I see it at work everyday.
This just feels like a disaster waiting to happen.
So the jets are admitting that they are mailing in this season?