It looks like there will be no quarterback battle on the New York Jets this season.
On Sunday, Jets general manager Darren Mougey said that Justin Fields is their guy after releasing Aaron Rodgers earlier this month.
“We believe Justin is the starter,” Mougey said. “We believe in Justin and we believe we can win with Justin. So we’re excited about Justin’s potential.”
The move comes as a bit of a surprise. Sure, the Jets invested a lot in Fields in free agency, signing him to a two-year, $40 million deal.
However, Fields isn’t exactly a sure thing. The No. 11 overall pick was traded away by the Chicago Bears after three seasons. After landing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Fields went 4-2 as a starter, but ultimately sat behind Russell Wilson on the depth chart.
Still, the Jets sound confident about Fields after seeing him play last season in Pittsburgh.
“You saw it last year, 4-2 as a starter, he probably had some of the best quarterback play of his career,” Mougey said. “And we’re going to do everything we can to support him when he gets here.”
Meanwhile, New York does have a tenured veteran on the roster in the form of Tyrod Taylor. The 35-year-old has been steady throughout his career. The one-time Pro Bowler is in the 15th season of his journeyman career, spending much of it as a backup.
In 2025, it looks like Taylor doesn’t have a shot in the battle to be the starter. Instead, the Jets are planning for him to have more of a mentor role.
“(Fields) is the starter,” Mougey said, “But Tyrod’s going to be right on his heels, and Tyrod’s a pro’s pro. He’s going to be a great asset for Justin in the quarterback room.”
Another factor that makes the early announcement from New York surprising: The NFL Draft is in another month.
Mougey was asked if naming Fields the starter affects their draft strategy in any way. The Jets GM said that the team plans to evaluate “the entire class.”
Would the Jets take one of this year’s top quarterbacks if they fall? Mougey didn’t rule it out, but it would certainly make for an awkward situation if that did happen.
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