Garrett Wilson acquired used to teammates approaching him within the Jets locker room this spring to speak about new quarterback Justin Fields.
“Guys come as much as me and say, ‘That’s my man.’ I already know. It’s been tremendous cool. He’s acquired a distinct approach about him,” stated Wilson, who performed with Fields at Ohio State. “He’s extra quiet relating to attending to know individuals. It’s not going to be that first day, however when it does click on it’s like, ‘Man, this dude is tremendous cool, like tremendous cool.’ ”
Fields spent the spring successful over his new Jets teammates and establishing himself as a frontrunner. It comes with the job description of being an NFL quarterback, and Fields is aware of it.
“I type of had a sense once I acquired right here, guys had been searching for a frontrunner to step up on offense, so I used to be glad to obtain that function, and naturally been pushing the fellows each day to be our greatest and play as much as our normal,” Fields stated.
However Fields is a a lot totally different chief than Aaron Rodgers, his predecessor on the place. Coach Aaron Glenn has praised the “quiet confidence” Fields tasks. There was nothing quiet about Rodgers.
“I take to him as a result of he’s genuine and he’s himself,” Glenn stated of Fields. “It’s one factor that gamers can select is somebody that’s pretend, and there’s nothing about him that’s pretend. So, I really like every thing concerning the participant, I really like every thing about the best way he carries himself.”
Jets gamers usually are not outwardly evaluating Fields and Rodgers, however one thing operating again Breece Corridor stated this spring stood out. He talked about Fields’ age (26) and the way that helps him relate to his teammates. Rodgers was the oldest participant within the NFL final yr and is now 41.
“You already know, he will get hyped like everyone else,” Corridor stated of Fields. “He’s younger like us. So we discuss a number of the identical stuff. You already know, we are able to hang around on the weekends, and it’s simply been cool to be round. He’s dude.”
Fields organized off-field actions along with his teammates to get to know them this spring and has embraced that a part of the job. Nobody will care, after all, if he doesn’t play nicely this season, however the Jets have been inspired by what they noticed from Fields this spring.
The group determined to signal him to a two-year, $40 million contract hoping they will witness him flip his profession round in a Jets uniform.
There have been encouraging indicators over the previous two years. In his previous 13 video games — six with the Steelers final yr and 7 with the Bears in 2023 — Fields has accomplished 63.3 % of his passes and thrown 10 touchdowns and simply 4 interceptions. He has run 132 instances for 651 yards and eight touchdowns in that span.
“It’s simply development,” Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand stated. “Going by his profession, simply persevering with to stack expertise together with it, after which finally [he] finally ends up successful 4 video games out of the six [in 2024]. You simply see a number of the issues which might be beginning to develop in his recreation, and you then take a look at that and also you go, ‘That’s fairly good. We are able to do some issues with that.’ And that’s type of I believe the place it began, after which, after all, all the opposite issues that everyone talks about, that’s actual. These issues are actual, and we’re excited to get going with him.”
Tight finish Jeremy Ruckert additionally performed with Fields at Ohio State. He stated Fields has the suitable make-up to thrive right here.
“I imply, ever since he walked on campus with us at Ohio State, coming from Georgia, you sense the seriousness about him, the competitiveness,” Ruckert stated. “He’s tremendous athletic. However I believe the largest factor about him is his psychological toughness. Nothing’s going to rattle him. He’s good for this group and this space, and he needs the stress. He’s constructed for it.”
