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Could the Jets ultimately keep QB Justin Fields?

Originally posted on Jets X-Factor | By Michael Nania | Last updated Mar 16, 2026 11:09 AM ET

“Justin [Fields]’s on the roster.”

New York Jets general manager Darren Mougey plainly stated that fact at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.

Nearly three weeks later, with the bulk of free agency in the books, that statement still rings true.

Justin Fields is a quarterback for the New York Jets.

Fields is entering the second year of a two-year, $40 million contract he signed with the Jets last year. However, after a brutal 2025 season in which he was benched multiple times and called out by the team’s owner, most presumed Fields would be released in 2026.

Yet, here we sit on March 16, and Fields is still a Jet. Meanwhile, the team’s urgency for cap savings has declined, as most of free agency is in the rearview and New York still has $36.7 million in cap space (10th in the NFL), per Spotrac.

It’s time to confront a possibility that few saw coming: Could Fields remain on the Jets’ roster in 2026?

Most likely, that answer is still no.

The Jets may part with Fields in a different fashion than many expected, though.

Fields will still likely go, just in a different way

The widespread expectation coming into the offseason was that Fields would be released with a post-June 1 designation.

But whether they release Fields with a post-June 1 designation or not, the Jets will net $10 million in total cap savings by releasing him. The only difference with the post-June 1 designation is how those savings are dispersed.

However, the Jets may have missed the boat on drawing any real benefits from releasing Fields with a post-June 1 designation.

Fields’ $40 million contract includes $30 million in guarantees, with $22 million of those guarantees backloaded past the 2025 season. This structure was intended to help the Jets save money in 2025; Fields only had an $8 million cap hit that season.

In 2026, though, Fields is set for a $23 million cap hit.

Fields is still owed that $22 million in guaranteed money, all of which will hit the Jets’ cap sheet at some point. This includes $10 million of his $20 million base salary in 2026, along with his $12 million in remaining signing bonus money, which is prorated at $3 million per year across the next four years (2026-29) thanks to three void years from 2027-29. These years will void after Fields is released or his contract is completed, which triggers an acceleration of the bonus money.

How that bonus money accelerates comes down to how the Jets release Fields.

If the Jets release Fields normally, they will immediately pay out his $10 million in guaranteed base salary and all $12 million in remaining signing bonus money. This gives him a $22 million dead money cap hit for the 2026 season, which nets them a mere $1 million in savings compared to the $23 million cap hit Fields currently has.

The benefit of this route is that it leaves the Jets with nothing owed to Fields after 2026, which nets them $9 million in savings in 2027 compared to the $9 million in accelerated bonus money they would be on the hook for if Fields plays out his contract.

If the Jets release Fields with a post-June 1 designation, they will still immediately pay out his $10 million in guaranteed base salary, but the difference is that they will only pay $3 million of his remaining signing bonus money in 2026, while they will pay the remaining $9 million in 2027.

This means that in 2026, Fields’ cap hit would drop to $13 million in dead money, giving the Jets $10 million in immediate savings (compared to his $23 million cap hit).

Those immediate savings are the benefit of this route. The downside is that the Jets will instead be on the hook for $9 million in dead money in 2027, which is a net-zero compared to if he plays out his contract. That rounds out to $10 million in net savings over the next two years, identical to releasing Fields normally.

Here is a simple breakdown:

Essentially, these are the Jets’ choices:

$1 million in 2026 savings and $9 million in 2027 savings (Normal release)
$10 million in 2026 savings and $0 in 2027 savings (Post-June 1 release)

If the Jets’ preference was to maximize cap space in 2026, they probably would have done a post-June 1 release already, as those savings would have been beneficial to maximize their spending power during the first wave of free agency.

At this point, though, the Jets have already completed what will amount to the majority of their free agent spending this offseason, and there is little to no star power left to chase on the free agent market. Even if they do want to chase a star, perhaps through a surprise trade, they still have an impressive $36.7 million in cap space, which ranks 10th-best in the league, per Spotrac.

So, the benefit of releasing Fields with a post-June 1 designation seems moot by now. Instead, it seems far more likely that the Jets will release Fields normally to net $9 million in savings for the 2027 season.

That means they still have until June 1 to release Fields and come out on the other side with no cap commitments beyond the upcoming season.

Why haven’t the Jets released him yet, then?

Well, it’s possible that New York is waiting for the draft to play out before they part with Fields—not to evaluate the state of their own quarterback room, but those around the league.

Coming out of the draft, there could be certain teams that find themselves pining for help in the quarterback room. This is especially likely in a year when the quarterback class is considered to be among the weakest in recent memory.

At that point, the Jets could explore trade possibilities for Fields. They certainly won’t receive much, but they might be able to net a late-round pick swap (similar to the one they gave up for Geno Smith) or at least a conditional pick. That potential reward, as small as it may be, is worth the wait, as the Jets don’t have anything to lose by holding onto Fields for a while longer.

It is difficult to envision a world in which the Jets hang onto Fields. He demonstrated little on-field value in 2025, netting under 100 passing yards in an unfathomable four-of-nine starts.

Even if the Jets wanted to keep Fields at a cheaper number, there is no reason for Fields to agree to a restructure. His contract gives him all the leverage. On top of that, it would be an awkward off-field situation, as Fields would be returning to play under a head coach who benched him multiple times and an owner who doesn’t think he can complete a pass. It is doubtful that Fields will make any effort to return to New York if he has a say in the matter.

While the Jets could certainly use another veteran competitor for Geno Smith and a potential rookie quarterback, they can find a better option for cheap in free agency. They aren’t retaining Fields as a mere backup/competitor when they could save $10 million by dumping him, including $9 million to be spent next offseason. That’s the equivalent of a Dylan Parham-level player in exchange for an essentially useless backup quarterback.

At this point, it seems clear the Jets are prepared to release Fields pre-June 1 to push the majority of the cap savings to 2027. They’re just waiting it out to see if they can find a trade partner.

If the Raiders could get the Jets to give up a pick swap for 35-year-old Geno Smith after posting a 34.1 QBR last season, it isn’t unreasonable to think another NFL team might do the same for a 27-year-old Justin Fields after posting a 38.7 QBR last season. Toss in post-draft desperation after the quarterback board doesn’t fall a certain team’s way, and Fields could absolutely net the Jets a small return in May.

Little has changed about Fields’ future in New York—he is still likely to find a new home in 2027. It just might happen a little later, and perhaps a little differently, than many expected.

This article first appeared on Jets X-Factor and was syndicated with permission.

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