The New York Jets don’t have the league’s most imposing passing offense. In 2025, it might not get to average. The biggest part of that equation is quarterback Justin Fields.
His surrounding cast, though, is far from elite. That’s not the end of the world, given the upside of the offensive line and the team’s reliance on the run game. But behind receiver Garrett Wilson is one of the NFL’s least intimidating receiving corps.
If Fields is going to win, he’s going to win with Wilson exceeding the expectations of his gaudy projected target share. New York’s path is forged on the margins, by the chemistry that exceeds their time together as professionals.
Fields and Wilson were teammates before with the Ohio State Buckeyes, eventually becoming first-round picks in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Wilson is yet to find the right passer to blossom into superstardom. His college quarterback has one last chance to prove himself as a starter.
There’s reason to believe that this pairing is for the best, even if Fields is far from a guarantee. Critics will point to his rather disastrous tenure with the Chicago Bears and a six-game stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers that wasn’t good enough to stave off Russell Wilson.
The Jets receiver took a shot at one of Fields’ former teams on Wednesday as he praised his battery mate.
"For me, it's always been, like, man, I'd love to go play with him," Wilson told reporters. " ... I've always watched the Bears; those first couple years (of Fields' career), I watched them a lot. And I'm watching, like, 'I would've got him that.' So, I'll just say that on it. He trusts me, I trust him. ... We speak to each other well. We know exactly what we're thinking. And that's so key."
The supporting casts surrounding Fields have long been questionable. From Matt Nagy to Matt Eberflus in Chicago to the one-man show Pittsburgh ran on the perimeter, it has never been ideal. It won’t be for the Jets, either. But he has never entered a professional season with this level of familiarity, and freed from quarterback controversies, there’s nobody biting at his heels.
A true connection could be what separates Fields from his potential as a passer. And if New York can tap into Fields’ talent, it will be the first sign that things really are changing in East Rutherford.
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