The Jets are indeed prying Justin Fields from the Steelers. Pittsburgh’s long-rumored top option had been connected to Gang Green for several days now, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report a deal is done.
Fields is joining the Jets on a two-year, $40MM contract that comes with $30MM guaranteed at signing. While the Steelers will look for another starter option, their 2024 backup secured a big raise to replace Aaron Rodgers. The latter is now a potential Pittsburgh option.
Linked to ramping up their Fields pursuit at the Combine, the Jets will land the youngest of this free agent crop’s starter-level options. Fields was unable to hold off Russell Wilson for the job last year, as Mike Tomlin overruled some staffers by turning to the veteran who had won the job out of training camp, but his going into an age-26 season created natural interest. Fields has roughly 3 1/2 seasons of starter work, and the Jets will attempt to mold him.
A Friday report pegging the Fields-Pittsburgh fit as a bit shaky, citing Tomlin’s decision to yank him from the starting lineup as a factor. Fields did not impress as a passer in 2024 and has never been among the league’s better options here, but the 2021 first-rounder does bring all-time rushing skills from the QB position. The Jets will need to coax improved play from the Ohio State alum through the air, but Tanner Engstrand’s offense does bring a bit of familiarity — personnel-wise, at least — for its new centerpiece.
Fields will reunite with Buckeyes target Garrett Wilson. The two overlapped as Ohio State regulars in 2019 and 2020, and after Wilson clashed with Rodgers last year, he will have his former college passer targeting him in 2025. The Jets again need a Wilson complement, after a few Rodgers-driven moves ultimately did not translate to wins, but they are checking the QB box off their list. While Fields may not be a set-it-and-forget-it option that keeps the Jets out of the mix for a rookie, they are at least covered for Aaron Glenn’s first season.
Fields matched his 2023 yards-per-attempt figure (6.9) and finished with a 5-1 TD-INT ratio during his six-start run in Pittsburgh. The former 1,000-yard Bears rusher also ran for five scores in 2024. He ranked 23rd in QBR in 2023 with the Bears, who had passed on drafting Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud first overall in 2023. Chicago’s effort to build around Fields ended largely because of the Panthers’ 2023 freefall, which gave the Bears Caleb Williams access.
Resurfacing in Pittsburgh after being traded for only a sixth-round pick, Fields had closed the gap on Wilson during the latter’s training camp calf injury and had supporters in the building when Tomlin benched him in October. Fields also was believed to have backers in Pittsburgh this offseason, and while it is unclear if he gave the team a chance to match the New York proposal, the Steelers need a new plan quickly.
Unlike the Giants, Browns or Titans, the Steelers sit nowhere close to the top of the draft. A trade-up for one of this year’s starter-level passers would be incredibly costly for Pittsburgh, which could certainly pivot back to Wilson as a stopgap as well. After so much Fields momentum, it is worth wondering how motivated Wilson would be to stay with his 2024 team — even as the decorated veteran expressed interest in re-signing before the offseason rumor cycle heated up.
As for the Jets, this marks a bit of a course change. They had tabbed top-three draft choices (Sam Darnold, Zach Wilson) and a trade pickup (Rodgers) to start over the past seven seasons. The organization had also turned to draft choices (Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith) previously. This agreement reminds of the Ryan Fitzpatrick fit, though Fields and the current Amazon analyst’s skillsets certainly differ. The Jets, who have now seen two blockbuster Packers trades at the position backfire, will hope Fields can show upside that would prevent yet another first-round QB from stopping through in the near future.
Wow. Aggressive deal.
Considering the cost of QBs, not a bad deal. I assume this means they’re really going to push to draft a QB. Or they’re tanking for 2026.
Not wasting a pick on QB in this year’s draft…they took Jordan Travis last year and he’ll be ready to play next season. With Tyrod Taylor also on the roster, they need to address the OL (again) in this draft!
Why is Jordan Travis garnering such widespread attention?? The guy hasn’t even played a single down…
Because they took him in the 5th round last year (knowing he was injured) for this reason… he’ll be the #3 QB on the roster, if healthy.
One step closer to Rodgers! Wonder what Tomlin will say when Rodgers starts running to the owner every week when he doesn’t get his way?
Welcome back Russ
Nah let’s complete the circus and get Rodgers
I think they’ll prioritize Rodgers and if he signs with Vikings they can turn back to Wilson, assuming he’d prefer to stay in Pittsburgh than go to NYG
This has to be a bridge to move to whatever the next one is. Wouldn’t feel great as a new coach and this is what I’ve got.
Seems like they targeted him from playing against him in the NFC North. If they do what the Bears never did and build the Cam Newton offense around him, it could be a dynamite, under-the-radar signing that shakes that division up. But we’ll see. However, this is who they targeted, so it seems like they have a plan.
I would have hoped it would come cheaper, but in a bad quarterback draft year I like it as a gamble. If anyone is going to be the next Baker/Geno/Darnold style late breakthrough, I think he’s the best option available. He reunites with Garrett Wilson. He brings a good personality and good physicality. If AVT can stay healthy at all and the Jets find a good answer at right tackle, the line could be very solid. In a year of starting a new program, building a culture, etc., I think it’s worth a try, even if I’m not holding my breath for Fields ever becoming a top 20 quarterback.
I think it’s that much money because the potential is still there (reasonable people will disagree). At times, for a few games here and there, he looks like a good QB. Other times, not so much. Compared to say, Minshew or something where you know exactly what they are. Baker/Geno/Darnold is a good comparison. $20 million for your starting QB isn’t that much, even if he falls flat on his face you get out of the deal next year without a major cap hit.
Yeah, if he’s a starting quarterback for one year and a bridge/backup next year, the money isn’t a horrendous pill to swallow.
Also having a young, mobile QB with that OL is probably a better idea than getting an older vet.
I think the problem has always been he was miscast, not to mention the horrible lines in Chicago. Eberflus we knew put him in a bad situation with Getsy from how his Raider tenure ended too, but coming out of college, he was a pretty close comp to Cam Newton. All you had to do was throw on the tape and build your offense the same way around that skill set. He ran for 1600 yards in a season for Christ sakes. Some of these coaches just go out of their way to overthink the obvious. I think he opted for this because Pittsburgh wasn’t going to build their offense like that, so maybe this was worth a try for him.
Run out of Chicago, run out of Pittsburgh, but same old Jets do the same old crap
The Steelers wanted to sign him until the moment he agreed with the Jets.
But, yeah, the Jets are lousy, that is true.
The run out of Pittsburgh thing is not, though.
Steelers wanted him back from all reports. That was even reported in-season.
If the Steelers wanted him, wouldn’t they have started him last year?
from what i read it sounds like the steelers wanted to start him …. tomlin didnt.
He wasn’t run out of Pittsburgh.
The youngest and most talented free agent QB decides to go a team that ruins QB’s like no other.
Brave.
$30 mill is $30 mill, I guess.
I’m sure Justin Fields can get his career on track while trusting the Jets to develop his QB skills. Ha ha.
I feel bad for Jets fans.
We feel bad enough for ourselves, you couldn’t possibly feel worse than we do
Ya Fields doesn’t make anyone a superbowl contender, that’s for sure.
But coming from a Steelers fan, i will say that he’s fun to watch. He’s an electric runner.
Even when he loses 30 yards scrambling and fumbling backwards on 2nd down , he is certainly entertaining
Lol. Should be interesting to see how ex Lions offensive staffers try to adjust the offense for Fields. Couldn’t get more polar opposites in player attributes than Goff and Fields, from scrambling ability to arm strength to blitz pickup/pre snap to reading coverages to accuracy & touch
I’m willing to bet that if Glenn foresaw Fields as his starting QB that Engstrand would not have been the OC hire
The reports were when he hired him, that’s the direction they decided to go. So this seemed to be his call.
What a great country we live in where Justin Fields can make $30MM guaranteed!
So much for the “players’ coach” Tomlin doing right by Fields last season and making him want to stay in Pittsburgh.
Saw this coming called it weeks ago. It makes too much sense
I think it’s a good deal for both sides…Fields is better than his past history…has a good arm, can run and extend plays and has some talent on offense, if they can fix any holes on the OL and Aaron Glen will retool the defense then the Jets will be competitive.
The best part is that it’s not a huge commitment by either side…2 years at 40 million with 30 guaranteed is considered chump change in today’s market and if Fields has a good two seasons and the Jets improve then he is set up perfectly for another bigger money contract. I’m not a huge Jets fan but the AFC East is better when the Jets are in the mix and I have to believe that they will improve on their 5-12 record from last year.
Is 8-9 to much of a reach?
Could they be vying for a playoff spot in 2025?
If these things actually happened, then this signing would be viewed as a steal and if not…it’s the J-E-T-S
Here is the Jets 2025 schedule…are there 8 wins in there?
Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Dallas Cowboys
Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars
I can see then beating the Patriots, Dolphins, Panthers, Browns, Saints, Jaguars.
I don’t see them beating the Bills, Ravens, Bengals and splitting with the rest of the AFC East with one win apiece versus the Dolphins, Patriots
Maybe games- Broncos, Steelers, Cowboys, Falcons and Buccaneers
The Broncos are on the rise with Sean Payton and Bo Nix is legit, The Steelers still have QB issues…Back to Wilson (with Fields gone) or kick the tires on Aaron Rodgers, The Cowboys just seem to underperform and who knows if they will have a healthy QB (Dak Prescott) and with wholesale changes in the coaching staff and an Owner/GM that is an enigma wrapped in a riddle, the Cowboys could easily be 5-12 or 10-7, The Falcons still don’t know which direction to go…Penix or back to Cousins and the Buccaneers are the Sybil team of the NFL…you just never know what team is going to show up and even though Baker Mayfield is a good QB and Todd Bowles is a good coach it would be nice to see Bowles show some emotion once in a while.
Jets have one of their home games scheduled for London. Could become a 2-game England trip if they’re the Jaguars’ opponent at Wembley.
It’s hilarious that he decided to take a vacation to a Middle Eastern nation during an incredibly important time like A.A-Ron.
Such a Jets move lol
Great, gonna waste the next year at minimum. Still hoping they draft someone, but I doubt it.
Jets are pivoting to the Baltimore style — run the ball and play defense. If Fields compares favorably to Lamar Jackson, this signing can look even better than the haters make it out to be.
(Notice how absent the Giants groupies are from this free agent frenzy?)