What's next for Jets' Justin Fields? Possible landing spots for former first-round pick after benching
Identifying where Fields might be headed to next
By
Bryan DeArdo
•
3 min read
In seemingly a New York minute, the 2-8 Jets have made the abrupt decision to change quarterbacks. New York coach Aaron Glenn is turning the keys of the offense over to veteran Tyrod Taylor, who is taking over for former first-round pick Justin Fields.
A 2021 first-round pick of the Bears, Fields had three up-and-down years with the Bears before having a career resurgence last season in Pittsburgh. He went 4-2 as the Steelers quarterback, accounting for 10 total touchdowns while throwing just one interception.
Fields has continued to do a better job of taking care of the football in New York, but his lack of overall production -- combined with the Jets' record -- compelled Glenn to make a change at quarterback with seven games left in the 2025 regular season.
While he still has another year left on his contract, it's safe to say that there's a good chance that Fields and the Jets part ways sometime before the start of next season. With that in mind, here's a look at some of Fields' possible future landing spots.
Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota makes sense on multiple fronts. In addition to the likelihood of being in the market for a backup quarterback, the Vikings may be looking for competition to help push starter J.J. McCarthy, who has struggled to live up to his early season promise since coming back from his ankle injury.
The Vikings also make sense given the history Kevin O'Connell has had with former first-round picks. Sam Darnold, for example, parlayed his one season with O'Connell into a long-term opportunity with the Seahawks. It's possible that he could have a similar impact on Fields, who has shown flashes of his potential throughout his five-year career.
Baltimore Ravens
Fields would give Baltimore another option behind Lamar Jackson in the event the two-time league MVP has another injury that would cause him to miss time. The Ravens' current backup is Tyler Huntley, a former Pro Bowler who led Baltimore to a season-saving win over the Bears back in Week 8.
Like Huntley and Jackson, Fields is exceptional with his feet, which should make him a natural fit inside Baltimore's offense. Like Huntley, one would expect that offensive coordinator Todd Monken wouldn't have to make too many changes to the game for Fields, whose 1,143 yards rushing during the 2022 season are second to only Jackson's 1,206 yards during the 2019 season in terms of single-season rushing yards by a quarterback.
Los Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles will make a lot of sense if Trey Lance doesn't re-sign this offseason. Jim Harbaugh is familiar with Fields' game having coached against him during his time at Michigan.
In 2019, Fields helped lead Ohio State to a 56-21 win over Harbaugh's Wolverines. Fields enjoyed one of his finest games as Buckeye that day, throwing for 302 yards and four touchdowns. His performance was complemented by the running of current Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins, who rumbled for 211 yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries.
Miami Dolphins
Miami could use an upgrade behind starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, as the current backups are Zach Wilson and rookie Quinn Ewers. In Fields, the Dolphins would be getting a significant upgrade in terms of who they have backing up Tagovailoa. Fields' skill set also seems like a good fit for Mike McDaniel's offense.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh makes sense only if Aaron Rodgers doesn't return for the 2025 season and the Steelers don't take a quarterback early in this year's draft.
If they have a roster spot to fill at quarterback, it's conceivable to think that the Steelers would consider re-signing Fields given their previous history together. As noted above, Fields showed significant growth during his brief time with the Steelers that contributed to their 4-2 start last season. That success could lead to a reunion in 2026, whether as a backup or a possible QB1 option.
