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The New York Jets kicked off their offseason with a full plate of changes. They’ve completely revamped their front office and coaching staff—and they did it with impressive precision.
Then came the bombshell. The Jets cut loose veteran QB Aaron Rodgers along with his favorite target, Davante Adams. The move appears designed to free up cap space while ushering in a fresh chapter for the franchise.
When free agency opened, New York wasted no time snagging Justin Fields from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fields never got a fair shake in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers opted to bench him for Russell Wilson last season rather than commit to him as their starter.
The Jets front office had kept their cards close to the chest about their future plans—until now.
Jets GM puts his faith in Fields despite the team’s troubling QB history
Speculation has been swirling that the Jets might create quarterback competition through the draft. Would they trade up for the #1 pick to land Cam Ward? Or perhaps jump to the second spot for Shedeur Sanders? Bleacher Report even suggested they’ve got eyes for Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart at the seventh pick—or later if he falls to the second round.
GM Darren Mougey has finally put those rumors to rest.
“We believe Justin is the starter,” Mougey stated confidently, according to SNYJets. “We believe we can win with Justin. We’re excited about Justin’s potential.”
This vote of confidence might seem encouraging on the surface. The problem? The Jets have a disastrous track record when it comes to developing young quarterbacks. Their history of quarterback development failures makes Mougey’s endorsement feel less like a blessing and more like a curse.
Fields remains a diamond in the rough. He’s got tremendous untapped potential that needs the right coaching staff to bring it out—and there’s legitimate reason to wonder if the Jets are equipped for that challenge.
While it’s refreshing to hear a team express faith in Fields after the Steelers’ quick hook, there are two major concerns here: Can the Jets actually develop him properly? And what’s their backup plan if things go south?
