What Jets reportedly could pay Justin Fields, Aaron Rodgers to not play for them in 2026

The first-year New York Jets regime, led by general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn, parted ways with quarterback Aaron Rodgers in March and then signed Justin Fields to a two-year, $40M deal with $30M guaranteed. 

Fields went 2-7 across nine starts with the Jets before it was reported on Monday that Glenn plans to start journeyman backup Tyrod Taylor against the Baltimore Ravens (5-5) this Sunday. In a piece published on Tuesday, The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt shared some interesting information regarding the terms of the Jets' agreements with Rodgers and Fields. 

What Aaron Rodgers, Justin Fields could cost Jets in 2026

"If the Jets release Fields pre-June 1 this offseason, that will mean they will be paying Fields and Rodgers a combined $57M in 2026 to not play for them," Rosenblatt wrote. "That’s not nothing, but I don’t think it will ultimately be a deterrent from moving on if the Jets do decide to go that route."

An October report claimed that "Mougey wanted to keep Rodgers" earlier this year, while Glenn allegedly "wanted to move on" from the future Hall of Famer. Signing Fields was seen as a gamble for a franchise hoping he could become a potential savior, but the 26-year-old regressed throughout the fall. 

According to Pro Football Reference, Fields heads to the bench ranked 30th among qualified players in the NFL with a 38.2 adjusted QBR and 30th with a 42 percent passing success rate for the season. The Jets are last in the league with an average of 139.9 passing yards per game, and Fields passed for under 60 yards in four of nine contests before he was relegated to backup duties. 

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"Releasing Fields feels like the most likely outcome, even with the financial issues attached to that," Rosenblatt added. "If the Jets release him, they could prioritize eating his dead money in one fell swoop ($22M dead cap, $1M savings if he’s released before June 1). Or they can designate him a post-June 1 release, which would spread the dead cap hit out over multiple years and provide more cap savings ($13M dead cap in 2026, $10M savings)."

Rosenblatt also suggested that Fields might be moved to third on the depth chart behind both Taylor and undrafted rookie Brady Cook. This change would help prevent Fields from getting injured in a game before the two sides part ways during the offseason.