Plenty of quarterbacks have revitalized their careers on new teams.
Jets general manager Darren Mougey believes Justin Fields can be the next one to turn his career around. But he warns it could take some time.
“I do, I do believe Justin can be one of those guys,” Mougey said in a conference call with the media on Thursday. “I’ve seen the progress during this camp and look forward to seeing the progress throughout the season as they all come together.
“Obviously, it’s his third stop in three years with three different coordinators and a lot of moving parts, so it does take time. But I like where it’s at and I look forward to watching the progress.”
Geno Smith, Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield are just some of the recent examples of quarterbacks who were reclamation projects after leaving the teams that initially drafted them. The Jets signed Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract in March to replace Aaron Rodgers, hoping he can finally realize the high ceiling many expected when the Chicago Bears selected him in the first round out of Ohio State in 2021.
Fields understands what is at stake for him this season. After three uneven seasons in Chicago and one in Pittsburgh, where he mainly backed up Russell Wilson, this could be Fields’ final opportunity to prove he is a full-time starting quarterback.
In four seasons, Fields (who was named one of the six captains for the 2025 season) has a 14-30 record as a starter, throwing for 45 touchdowns and 31 interceptions. He also owns a career QBR of 47.1. Fields has been more known for his athletic ability than his arm, having registered 2,509 career rushing yards and 19 touchdowns.
The Jets can get out of Fields’ contract after just one season. They could release him next spring with a June 1 designation and save $10 million. Also, if Fields struggles, the Jets would likely select his replacement in the 2026 NFL Draft.
If training camp and the preseason are any indication, the Jets’ offense could struggle to score points.
Much like his career to this point, Fields’ play was up-and-down. He has held onto the ball too long at times and suffered from accuracy issues. Gang Green’s wide receiver room certainly hasn’t helped Fields and the passing game.
Outside of Garrett Wilson, the Jets lack a legitimate option who can consistently command attention. The current receivers are Wilson, Josh Reynolds, Arian Smith, Allen Lazard and Xavier Gipson. They also have Tyler Johnson on the practice squad, who they can elevate.
Some might expect the Jets to make a move to acquire another player, but Mougey says he is a fan of the position room.
“Obviously, it starts with Garrett,” Mougey said. “We’ll move him around. He can do it all. And then the pieces that go around, I think we got pieces that complement each other there.
“We’ve got three guys and Josh Reynolds, Lazard and Tyler Johnson. They’ve all played in the league and had success, bigger bodies. You can move them around. They can block in the run game. Then you got the speed piece with Arian [Smith] and Gip [Xaiver Gipson], got speed. He can play inside. We’ll find ways to get him some touches as well. So I feel really good about the room as a whole.”
The Jets are expected to rely heavily on running the football, which is one of Fields’ superpowers. Mougey also feels good about the players surrounding Fields, including running backs Breece Hall and Braelon Allen, as well as rookie tight end Mason Taylor.
“I feel really good about the pieces around him, and it starts in that running back room,” he said. “Those guys next to him, it starts with Garrett and the wideout room … as well as the tight end room.
“I think we’ve seen production from all those guys throughout camp, and I look forward to seeing how that evolves and continues to progress throughout the season.”
Over the last few days, Mougey and Jets coach Aaron Glenn have been working together to assemble the 53-man roster. The roster remains fluid, but Mougey and Glenn stay in constant communication with one another.
“It’s been awesome, it’s really been fantastic, Mougey said about working with Glenn. “I couldn’t have asked for anything better.
“AG and I talked daily throughout the day. We talk every morning, pre-practice, post-practice and end of day. Often it’s about the roster and the team in-depth discussions. Sometimes it’s about life and experiences, but nonetheless, just watching him lead every single day throughout training camp, address the team, address the players, I feel just blessed to be around him and have him as the head coach of the Jets and work with him daily.”
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