Coming off a disappointing era with Robert Saleh at head coach and Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, the New York Jets‘ theme has been change. Fans hope the Aaron Glenn and Justin Fields tenure will be more successful.
It’s understood that this is a team that’s rebuilding on the fly. It’s highly unlikely that this year’s Jets squad is a real contender. Despite that, there’s plenty of excitement surrounding the switch to Fields.
That isn’t just from observers, either. General manager Darren Mougey is even raising the bar for the young signal-caller.
Can Justin Fields Follow Footsteps of Other NFL Late Bloomer QBs?
Speaking to the media ahead of Week 1, Mougey was asked about Fields’ career arc. Could he follow in the footsteps of players like Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and former Jet Geno Smith? Those quarterbacks each took some time â and multiple stops â before truly finding their footing.
Mougey believes the same could be true for Fields.
“I do believe Justin can be one of those guys and like I just mentioned, I’ve seen the progress during this camp and look forward to seeing the progress throughout the season as they all come together,” Mougey said. “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.”
If so, it’d be another example of a developing trend in the modern NFL. Fields, a former No. 11 overall draft pick, flashed his upside with the Chicago Bears. His sophomore campaign, which saw him throw a career-high 17 touchdowns and add well over 1,000 rushing yards, seemed to be a formative season for his development. On the contrary, he then flamed out with the Bears and was shipped to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024.
Fields eventually lost the first-string job to Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh. Prior to that, he went 4-2 as a starter. His box score numbers (1,106 passing yards, 5 touchdowns and 1 interception) on the year were serviceable. His 93.3 passer rating was the best of his career. Could that be a hint of what’s to come in New York?
Mougey seems optimistic.
Mougey Breaks Down Fields’ Biggest Area of Improvement for Jets Thus Far
Unfortunately, Fields’ progress with the Jets hasn’t always been overwhelmingly positive. Midway through the offseason program, reports surfaced that he still struggled with timing and reading the field. Accuracy remained in question. On the precipice of preseason play, Glenn explained that his quarterback was growing but not out of the woods.
The next few weeks doubled down on that. Fields, who played sparingly compared to what some had hoped for, went 4-for-9 passing. His rushing chops were put on display, creating a good and bad news scenario.
Mougey thinks Fields has showcased tremendous evolution in how he conducts the Jets’ offense.
“I would say the operation,” Mougey said of Fields’ largest area of growth. “I’ve seen him improve every day, and specifically this past week, I think we’ve really seen good rhythm out at practice with the offense, a balanced attack, some run, some pass, but just the overall operation, the command, his leadership. Obviously, named a captain, as many of you found out this morning. So seeing that growth has been really good.”
Those assessments, as well as Mougey’s prediction for Fields’ advancement, will soon be put to the test. The Jets open the season against Rodgers and the Steelers on September 7.
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