The Case for Prying Away the Jets’ Starting QB to Compete Alongside J.J. McCarthy
The Jets’ starting QB going into 2025 was Justin Fields. Maybe predictably, the former Bear and Steeler ended up being benched, as is New York’s wont.
Few, if any, would welcome Fields to the Twin Cities in a way that uplifts him as the long-awaited franchise passer. He may nevertheless be an excellent option, one who thrives in Minnesota for precisely the reason why Sam Darnold once did. After all, Mr. Fields is a former high pick who oozes talent and who demonstrates good maturity. Coming over to Minnesota could be precisely what’s needed for team and player alike.
Justin Fields, The Jets’ Starting QB in ’25, Looks Like a Nice Option
If the Vikings see the desired outcome come to fruition, then J.J. McCarthy will play well from 2026 onward.
The No. 10 selection from the 2024 NFL Draft is very talented. Note, as well, that he’s hard working, has good compete, and appears to have the support of teammates (despite some ongoing longing for Darnold’s ability). In time, Mr. McCarthy could end up being a franchise quarterback. What remains to be seen is if Minnesota will be patient enough to get McCarthy to that plausible outcome.
In the meantime, there’s a need to bring in someone who can compete now.
Justin Fields hasn’t yet entrenched himself as a capable starter as a pro. He’s priced accordingly. New York made Fields a Jet with the offer of a two-year deal for $40 million. Prying him away from Aaron Glenn’s team could likely occur with just a Day 3 selection. Even better is that the remainder of the contract is just a single season and a cap charge that comes in at $11 million.
Across his career, Fields has completed 61.4% of his passes but is coming off a season that had him completing 62.7% of his passes. In Minnesota, Fields may be able to get that number at or above 65%, which is where a QB1 should be in the modern NFL.
His total career passing yards sits at 9,039 and his career TD/INT ratio sits at 52/32. Crunch the numbers for his 59 career games and the averages are modest. A normal Justin Fields game (based on this insufficient analysis) involves 153 passing yards, less than 1 touchdown, and roughly 0.5 interceptions. Not excellent.
What needs to be remembered, though, is that Fields has run 489 times in his career, resulting in 2,892 rushing yards alongside 23 touchdowns. The 5.9 yards-per-carry average is tidy, suggesting that looking beyond just the passing numbers is needed when considering Fields.
Moreover, there’s the team context.
Once upon a time, Sam Darnold was a terrible quarterback with the Jets. Several years later Sam Darnold is both a Pro Bowl passer and a QB1 who just won a Super Bowl. The point is not that Justin Fields is going to follow an identical path. Rather, the point is that it’s at least possible.
Fields’ career has involved playing for the Bears, Steelers, and Jets. Pittsburgh stands out as a strong franchise, albeit one that hasn’t been known for dominating on offense in recent seasons. And then there’s Chicago and New York, a pair of teams that have been awful in recent decades.
Justin Fields is a 26-year-old quarterback who has a pile of starting experience and who has plenty of good years of football ahead of him. Chosen at No. 11 in 2021, Fields offers an impressive build (6’3″ and 227 pounds) alongside excellent athleticism. So, too, has he demonstrated great leadership at various points.
Bringing Fields to town would be a nice outcome since he’s straddling the divide between being a QB1 and QB2. The end result involves seeing McCarthy given a fair chance to win the top job if he proves capable of doing so. If McCarthy doesn’t elevate, then Minnesota can turn to a young, talented passer who has a high ceiling alongside a higher floor than the current passer.
The Vikings are sitting on eight selections but are expected to add a ninth ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. Sending over a low-level pick to beef up the quarterback competition makes a lot of sense.
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