Grading the trade: New York Jets receive all they could ask for after a disastrous experience with Justin Fields at quarterback
The Justin Fields’ experience in New York is officially over.
Around this time last year, the New York Jets we’re in a state of optimism. A new regime was headed to Florham Park, and so was a new quarterback. The Jets inked Justin Fields to a two-year deal that paid him $40 million. Averaging $20 million a year seemed steep for a quarterback who was coming off being benched by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But there was more to that story. Fields was 4-2 during his stint as a starter in Pittsburgh, playing arguably the best ball of his career with the Steelers. The Jets bet on that upside, only it didn’t pan out, and now Fields is gone entirely.
Jets trade Justin Fields to the Chiefs for 2027 6th-round pick
Fields finished his career with the Jets, going 2-7 as a starter and posting one of the worst QBRs of his career. The flashes he had shown with Pittsburgh were there in Week 1 (ironically enough, against the Steelers), but they were few and far between thereafter.
All of the things that Fields seemingly fixed in Pittsburgh…Mechanics, ball location, rhythm, timing, accuracy, they all went awry in New York. Now, given what the rest of the team looked like, you could argue that it would be hard for anyone to have success in that position.
We have over a decade’s worth of proof to suggest that, but it was clear that both the Jets and Fields needed to go their separate ways, and GM Darren Mougey went back to doing what he does best.
Darren Mougey makes 11th trade in 14 months as Jets GM
Here’s why the trade matters. If the Jets just released Fields, which was almost a certainty, they would have been on the hook for the entirety of his $10 million in guaranteed salary. Not only did they receive a 2027 6th (which yes, is chump change) but they saved $3 million as the Chiefs will take on some of his salary for 2026. So in all, it’s a heck of a lot better than nothing, especially after the Geno Smith trade.
Final Grade: A
I’m not sure that anyone believed Fields could be, much less would be traded. Given his salary and the level of play from 2025, the fact that the Jets saved some money, ripped the bandaid off, and got something in return, is a great play by Mougey given the circumstances.
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