New York Jets' $40 million free agent dubbed team's most dangerous addition

Bryan Perez

New York Jets' $40 million free agent dubbed team's most dangerous addition image

The New York Jets swung for the fences at quarterback this offseason, signing former first-round pick Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract. Fields will begin his Jets career with no real threat for the starting job, signaling to the fanbase that it's Fields or bust in 2025 and, perhaps, for 2026.

There's no doubt Fields' addition has leveled up the excitement around Gang Green, especially after the roller coaster ride that was the Aaron Rodgers experience. With Fields, the Jets and new coach Aaron Glenn have a no-nonsense, elite athlete under center who can turn a busted play into a field-flipping touchdown.

As a result, he was dubbed New York's most dangerous 2025 offseason addition.

"It's yet to be determined whether the Jets' offensive staff plans to fully commit to the quarterback's athleticism," Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski wrote. "Fields is one of the NFL's most dynamic runners. New York's backfield is loaded with talented ball-carriers, too."

The combination of Fields and running back Breece Hall is a scary proposition.

"As long as New York's staff based Fields' running ability into game plans, he can finally prove himself as a franchise option," Sobleski continued.

Fields flashed franchise quarterback upside during his first three seasons in the league, but his failure to develop as a passer with the Chicago Bears, combined with Chicago landing the first-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, made him expendable. And while he did good things during his brief tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the 2024 season was more of a bridge to his next starting gig.

That gig is with the Jets, and it could be where he finally takes advantage of his rare traits and becomes one of the NFL's most lethal dual-threat QBs.

Fields' best season came in 2022 when he threw for 2,242 yards and 17 touchdowns and ran for a remarkable 1,143 yards and eight more scores. His rushing total was the second-most in a single season by a quarterback.

The New York Jets will lean on that skill set to bring a ground-and-pound mentality to MetLife Stadium this Fall.

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Bryan Perez

Bryan Perez founded and has operated Bears Talk since 2021. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.