Jets trade for new starter to replace former Bear Justin Fields
A year ago, the Jets thought their found their answer at quarterback in former Bears first-round pick Justin Fields.
Tuesday, they traded for a new starter.
The Jets traded a sixth-round pick for the Raiders’ Geno Smith and a seventh-rounder, locking in a reunion with the man who last played for them nine years ago. The plan is for Smith to be the starter.
The Jets figure to cut or trade Fields, who has one year and $20 million left on his contract. He has $10 million guaranteed for this upcoming year.
Moving Fields would end a tumultuous year for both the quarterback and the Jets. The former started only nine games, winning two of them, for the 3-14 Jets. He went `128-for-204 for 1,259 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. It was clear by the end of the season the Jets would look elsewhere for their quarterback.
The quarterback was ripped by owner Woody Johnson after the Jets started 0-7. Johnson said that “if we can just complete a pass, it would look good,” and said that “something is not just jiving” with Fields.
Fields was benched midgame and received supportive text messages from his sister and stepmom the following week. That support, when he said he needed it most, left Fields crying on the floor of his closet. He started the next game and beat the Bengals, 39-38.
The Bears traded up to draft Fields 11th overall in 2021. The following year, he ran for 1,143 yards, the second-most ever for a quarterback. Bears general manager Ryan Poles decided to keep Fields for a third season and trade the 2023 No. 1 overall pick to the Panthers. When the Panthers finished last in the NFL to give the Bears the top choice, Poles dealt Fields to the Steelers so he could draft Caleb Williams.
Fields started six games for the Steelers in 2024 before losing his starting job to Russell Wilson.