The New York Jets’ roster is locked and loaded for training camp. With Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, and Mason Taylor all inked to their deals, it’s full steam ahead in Florham Park.
As the Jets prepare for training camp, there are plenty of misconceptions surrounding the roster. With weeks of dormancy for the dust to settle on popular narratives, things can get misconstrued.
Here is one misconception I have noticed at the quarterback position.
Justin Fields’ job is not completely safe
Justin Fields’ job might not be as safe as you think.
First of all, let’s be clear: Fields’ starting job is secured going into Week 1. Throughout the offseason, the Jets’ coaches have reiterated their intention to build an offense around Fields and give him the best chance to unlock his full potential.
Barring something unforeseen, Fields will start against his former team on September 7. Once the season gets rolling, though, Fields might have a shorter rope than people think.
While the Jets want to give Fields a chance to succeed, it is not the team’s primary goal. The new regime can only set itself apart from its predecessors by winning football games. That is their main priority, not developing Fields.
Fields is a fifth-year quarterback on his third team. Darren Mougey signed him to a two-year contract that essentially classifies as a “prove-it” deal. The Jets are not tied to him for the long run. If he cannot quickly perform to a level that helps the team win games, they will not hesitate to yank him.
This is because New York has a high-level veteran backup in Tyrod Taylor, who has arguably outplayed Fields since the latter entered the NFL. Compare Taylor and Fields’ metrics from 2021 to 2024:
Tyrod Taylor (441 dropbacks): 86.6 passer rating, 18 total touchdowns, 10 turnovers (1.8-to-1 ratio), 5.7 net yards per pass attempt, 63.9% completion rate, 45.3% pass-play success rate
Justin Fields (1,450 dropbacks): 83.9 passer rating, 64 total touchdowns, 43 turnovers (1.5-to-1 ratio), 5.3 net yards per pass attempt, 61.1% completion rate, 38.5% pass-play success rate
Fields deserves the starting nod over Taylor because he is almost 10 years younger and has more room for growth, making him a better fit for the Jets’ timeline. But if the Jets had to win a game today to avoid being relegated to the CFL, it’s a toss-up as to whether Fields or Taylor would be the better option to start at quarterback.
The Jets are wise to prioritize Fields’ ceiling over Taylor’s floor. Entering free agency, they had no prospective franchise quarterback on the roster and no feasible way to get a viable one in the draft. So, it made sense to add a player with some semblance of a chance to become a franchise quarterback.
This is why they went out and gave Fields $30 million guaranteed instead of saving money by rolling with Taylor or another 30-plus veteran. Fields might have a lower floor than Taylor, but there is a non-zero chance he becomes the Jets’ franchise quarterback. Taylor’s chances are zero.
It all makes sense from a roster-building perspective. The coaches want to win, though.
Fields has four years of film and data that suggest he is a difficult quarterback to win games with. He deserves a chance to flip that reputation with a change of scenery. But if he cannot quickly prove that things will be different in New York, the coaches will not waste games on him waiting for a surprise breakout in Year 5.
Contrary to popular opinion, this will not be a pressure-free training camp for Fields. While he will not have to compete for the Week 1 job in camp, he must do everything he can to buy himself more rope. The weaker he performs on the practice field, the quicker the Jets will consider pulling him for Taylor if things go south in the regular season.