Is Justin Fields the unquestioned starter in New York?
The New York Jets admitted defeat after the 2024 season. The team’s overly optimistic self-assessment of being just a quarterback away from competing for a championship was shattered by organizational dysfunction and poor play. When the new season kicks off in September, New York will have a new head coach, new general manager and new starting QB, after moving on from Aaron Rodgers and signing Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract.
But is that the extent of the team’s plan for the most important position in professional sports? Opinions on the subject vary but one NFL insider believes New York’s quarterback hierarchy is set.
“I’d be a little surprised if the Jets took a quarterback in the first round. I’ve heard that Justin Fields’s camp did a lot of homework and really prioritized having a spot where he could be the clear-cut starter. I don’t know if his new team gave him that assurance, but he obviously felt good about the opportunity he’d have there,” Albert Breer of SI wrote.
Are the Jets set with Justin Fields under center?
Fields revived his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024. He started the first six games of the season for the Steelers, leading the team to a 4-2 record before giving way to Russell Wilson.
Fields was solid as a game manager who added a rushing element that opposing teams needed to respect. However, before his small sample size of success with the Steelers, Fields failed to catch on with the Bears after Chicago drafted him 11th overall in 2021. It’s possible he matured as a player in his fourth season in the league. But it shouldn’t be ignored that he found his first success in a stable organization helmed by Mike Tomlin.
Although the Jets hired Aaron Glenn to turn the franchise around, New York has traditionally been a team that… let’s just say, doesn’t always get the best out of its quarterbacks.
Additionally, Fields isn’t making the kind of money that screams guaranteed starter. His deal with the Jets has an AAV of $20 million, which ranks 20th in the league. And Fields’ has just $30 million in guaranteed money. So his contract shouldn't prevent the Jets from exploring other QB options.
Given the team’s situation, it would be a bit surprising if the Jets didn’t take a quarterback in the draft. Particularly if one of the top tier-two passers falls to them after the first round. The team has been linked to Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart this offseason.
And, of course, it’s also possible the Jets land Shedeur Sanders if he slides to the seventh spot. Sanders has become one of the draft’s most polarizing players as experts have him slated to come off the board just about anywhere in the first round. At least one insider believes Sanders’ floor is somewhere between the Jets’ seventh pick and the Steelers’ at 21.
