Even though their quarterback room is largely defined by Mason Rudolph and Will Howard in its current state, maybe the Pittsburgh Steelers were right to let Justin Fields walk? Fields was traded over to the Steelers from the Chicago Bears last offseason. The fact that he did not garner a high-end pick from the Steelers should have raised alarm bells with us, but it for whatever reason, did not.
Fields now finds himself quarterbacking the lowly New York Jets. Every NFL franchise has qualified for the playoffs more recently than Gang Green. In New York, Fields will have a chance to start, but most play for a first-time head coach in Aaron Glenn, a first-time NFL offensive coordinator in Tanner Engstrand, behind one of the worst offensive lines in football, and for an incredibly chaotic franchise.
Let's just say that Connor Hughes of SNY did not paint Fields' showing in Jets practice all that well...
"The defense sacked Fields on six of his 10 drop-backs. Fields completed three of the other four. Two were dump-offs to Jeremy Ruckert. One was a short pass to Wilson."
This miss Hughes described is the equivalent of the Dale Doback fart from the movie Step Brothers.
"The miss was a little alarming. The Jets blitzed. Offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand dialed up a perfect beater that had Josh Reynolds open on a corner route without saftey help. It seemed a pretty easy pitch-and-catch for a would-be long-gainer (potential touchdown). Fields missed him pretty bad."
When Hughes is not openly opining about how great the Jets are, you know you are in real trouble...
I am bullish on the new regime in New York, but Fields is going to continue being exactly who he is.
Pittsburgh Steelers look to be in the right for letting Justin Fields walk
Look. I may not like the current Steelers regime all that much. There are obvious cracks in the foundation that not everyone is willing to recognize. That being said, I know who Mike Tomlin is and what a Steelers team under his guidance is all about. In a frustratingly painful way for all involved, this team is going to win nine or 10 games next season with Rudolph as the starter, but one more than 11.
For the Jets, I struggle to see one of the most consistently inconsistent quarterbacks of his generation uplift an entire franchise mired in dysfunction. I would not say Fields is a frontrunner, but he is really only as good as the talent around him. Better yet, he is at his best when his team is far more talented than those they are going up against. This was the case in high school and in the Big Ten.
In an absolute best-case scenario, New York could theoretically vie for one of three wild card berths in the deep AFC. To think they will win the AFC East over a juggernaut team like the Buffalo Bills is not something I can rationalize at this time. If it hits the fan like it probably will, New York will win between five and seven games and will be picking inside the top 10 yet again. Maybe they draft a quarterback?
Even if that case, will the Jets get it right? Anyone who followed college football outside of Provo or the LDS community knew Zach Wilson was not going to work. When it comes to Fields, he was the fourth quarterback taken in that same 2021 NFL Draft, nine spots after Wilson went No. 2 overall to Gang Green. This is the same quarterback who could not beat out Jake Fromm over at Georgia, folks!
In the end, I trust what the Steelers could be with Rudolph under center far more than I do the complete unknown of Fields running point in this newfangled Jets offense. It could be a tough year for both, but I am going to take the Steelers every day and twice on Sunday over the Jets until proven otherwise. Both franchises have their warts, but one is willing to acknowledge and overcome them.
That miss could have potentially been a touchdown for the Jets, but it reeked of ketchup and onion.