Justin Fields Joins Jets on Two-Year, $40M Deal

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Justin Fields Joins Jets on Two-Year, $40M Deal \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The New York Jets have agreed to a two-year, $40 million contract with Justin Fields, positioning him as their new starting quarterback after moving on from Aaron Rodgers. The deal includes $30 million guaranteed, and Fields is expected to lead a revamped Jets offense under new head coach Aaron Glenn. The team also signed cornerback Brandon Stephens to a three-year, $36 million deal, filling a key defensive void.

Jets’ Quarterback Shake-Up and Free Agency Quick Looks

Justin Fields Signs With Jets: The two-year, $40M deal includes $30M guaranteed.
Replacing Aaron Rodgers: Jets move on from Rodgers after two injury-plagued seasons.
Fields Reunites With Garrett Wilson: Former Ohio State teammates now lead Jets offense.
Brandon Stephens Joins Defense: The CB signs a $36M deal to replace D.J. Reed.
New Regime in New York: Head coach Aaron Glenn and GM Darren Mougey reshape roster.
Fields’ Career Stats: 7,780 passing yards, 45 TDs, 2,509 rushing yards, 19 rushing TDs.

Deep Look

Fields Gets His Shot in New York After Being Passed Over in 2021

Four years after passing on Justin Fields in the 2021 NFL Draft, the New York Jets have made him their new starting quarterback.

Fields and the Jets agreed to a two-year, $40 million contract, which includes $30 million guaranteed, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The former Chicago Bears first-round pick (No. 11 overall in 2021) now takes over a Jets offense in transition, following the team’s decision to part ways with Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in 2023 and struggled with a 5-12 record in 2024, is expected to be released. His departure clears the way for Fields to take over, with veteran Tyrod Taylor serving as the backup.

The move comes as the Jets embark on a new era under head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey, who are tasked with rebuilding a franchise that has struggled at quarterback for over a decade.

Fields’ Journey: From Chicago to Pittsburgh to New York

Fields’ NFL career has been anything but stable.

The Chicago Bears drafted him in 2021, but after three inconsistent seasons, the team opted to move on, trading him to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a sixth-round pick. Chicago then selected Caleb Williams No. 1 overall to be their new franchise quarterback.

With Pittsburgh, Fields was expected to serve as Russell Wilson’s backup, but when Wilson suffered a calf injury, Fields started the first six games of the season. He helped the Steelers start 4-2, recording:

Five passing touchdowns
Five rushing touchdowns
One interception

However, when Wilson returned from injury, Fields was benched for the remainder of the season, throwing just one more pass the rest of the year.

Now, Fields arrives in New York with a fresh opportunity to prove himself as a franchise quarterback.

How Fields Fits in the Jets’ Offense

Fields joins an offense that features young playmakers, including wide receiver Garrett Wilson, his former college teammate at Ohio State, and running backs Breece Hall and Braelon Allen.

With new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, the Jets plan to build a system that maximizes Fields’ athleticism and arm strength, balancing designed QB runs with an improved passing attack.

Fields has shown flashes of brilliance in the past, particularly with his rushing ability, accumulating 2,509 career rushing yards and 19 rushing TDs. However, his accuracy and decision-making remain concerns, with 31 career interceptions and a 59.5% completion rate.

The Jets believe that with the right coaching and offensive structure, Fields can develop into a long-term answer at quarterback—something the franchise hasn’t had since the days of Joe Namath.

Brandon Stephens Joins Jets Defense to Replace D.J. Reed

While Fields was the biggest signing of the day, the Jets also strengthened their secondary, signing former Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens to a three-year, $36 million contract.

The 27-year-old Stephens has played multiple roles in the secondary, starting as a safety before transitioning to cornerback. With D.J. Reed leaving for Detroit, Stephens will likely start opposite Sauce Gardner in the Jets’ revamped defense under coordinator Steve Wilks.

In four seasons with the Ravens, Stephens recorded:

32 passes defensed
Two career interceptions
Strong versatility in multiple defensive schemes

With Aaron Glenn’s background in defensive coaching, the Jets are aiming to build an elite secondary, pairing Stephens with Gardner to solidify the back end of their defense.

Jets’ Other Moves in Free Agency

In addition to signing Fields and Stephens, the Jets made several other key roster moves, including:

Re-signing linebacker Jamien Sherwood to a three-year, $45 million deal ($30M guaranteed).
Placing a right-of-first-refusal tender on safety Tony Adams, keeping their starting safety under team control for $3.2 million in 2025.

These moves reflect the team’s commitment to defensive stability, while the focus on Fields represents their long-term offensive vision.

What’s Next for the Jets?

With the quarterback position settled, the Jets will now look to:

Continue building around Fields by improving their offensive line and receiving corps.
Find additional pass-rushing help to complement their strong secondary.
Make a final decision on Aaron Rodgers, with his official release expected soon.

Fields now has his best opportunity yet to succeed in the NFL, but the pressure is on. The Jets, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2010, are counting on him to deliver results quickly.

If Fields finally realizes his potential, New York could turn the page on years of quarterback instability. But if his past struggles resurface, the Jets could find themselves searching for another answer at QB in just two years.

For now, though, Justin Fields is the future of the New York Jets—and he’ll get his chance to prove it in 2025.