Nov 13, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (7) drops back to make a pass during the second half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images David Butler II-Imagn Images

Jets Reveal Where Justin Fields Stands Right Now

Originally posted on New York Jets on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Feb 24, 2026 1:35 PM ET

Will the New York Jets still have Justin Fields by the time the 2026 National Football League season rolls around?

Fields signed a two-year, $40 million deal with the Jets last offseason in free agency to replace Aaron Rodgers. He ended up playing just nine games for the franchise in 2025 before he was benched in favor of Tyrod Taylor. All of the buzz and rumors out there for the most part, this offseason have pointed to a potential split on the way. On Tuesday, Jets general manager Darren Mougey was asked about Fields and didn't rule anything out, but did acknowledge that the team will be evaluating the position this offseason.

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Will Justin Fields stick around?

Peter Casey-Imagn Images

"Yeah, Justin's on the roster," Mougey said. "And just like every other position, we're going to evaluate the quarterback position through every landscape, whether that's trade, on the street, free agency, to see what we can add to the team. But Justin's under contract. Glad he's under contract. We have no, you know, trigger date with Justin's contract, so he's part of the Jets."

Darren Mougey on Justin Fields' future with the team: pic.twitter.com/L2KKkCRrLb
— New York Jets (@nyjets) February 24, 2026

There have been rumors out there pointing to various quarterback options for the franchise. Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports reported that Tanner McKee of the Philadelphia Eagles and Davis Mills of the Houston Texans are two potential trade candidates.

All eyes are going to be on Fields in the meantime. It's important to note that he is just 26 years old. He's also already under contract and is going to be on the payroll next season anyway with $10 million guaranteed. Does it make sense to bring another signal-caller to the payroll? The Jets certainly could roll with Fields, draft a guy and then evaluate the position after the 2026 season when the payroll is a bit cleaner from the quarterback perspective. Aaron Rodgers is still impacting the payroll with dead cap.

With Frank Reich leading the offense, there's at least an argument that he could get more out of Fields than the team did last year. We will see. But it sounds like all options are on the table.

This article first appeared on New York Jets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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