Quarterback Justin Fields found his third NFL home since he entered the league via the 2021 NFL Draft when he agreed to a two-year, $40M deal with the New York Jets in free agency.
Famous quarterback coach Quincy Avery has trained Fields. He believes the 26-year-old could thrive playing under first-year head coach Aaron Glenn and 42-year-old offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand after Fields flopped with the Chicago Bears and then failed to cement himself as a long-term QB1 with the Pittsburgh Steelers this past season.
"This is a great situation for him," Avery said about Fields during a recent chat with Jason Reid of Andscape. "...We all wanted it to work out for him in Chicago, for that to be a good situation where he could find success. We didn’t think he would be in that type of situation in Pittsburgh with him and [Russell Wilson] both there. Now, he’s got a chance to be part of building something new."
While some analysts have blamed the Bears' instability for Fields' inconsistent play from 2021 through the 2023 season, the numbers show he often underperformed in the fourth quarters of games during his final two campaigns with that organization. He then led the 2024 Steelers to a 4-2 start but was benched by head coach Mike Tomlin after Wilson fully recovered from a lingering calf problem.
Reporters who cover the Steelers noted that Tomlin didn't want Fields "throwing in the middle of the field," using audibles at the line of scrimmage or taking risks as a passer. Avery thinks Engstrand "will put Justin in a situation in the offense where he can really get the most out of his talents," unlike how the Steelers utilized the dual-threat quarterback.
"He threw the ball well with the Steelers," Avery added about Fields. "He just didn’t get that many opportunities to throw because they wanted a more conservative approach. He’ll get more opportunities now, which, hopefully, will help him put down some roots. We really hope for that."
Fields begins his Jets tenure as their undisputed QB1 ahead of backup Tyrod Taylor. While a fresh start may prove what Fields needs at this stage of his career, he'll have to show that he can develop as a passer and be more than just a short-term starter with the Jets.
