Jets’ Aaron Glenn, Josh Reynolds make big statements about QB Justin Fields

For a piece published Tuesday, ESPN NFL analyst Bill Barnwell wrote that the New York Jets are giving quarterback Justin Fields what could be Fields’ “last chance at entering an offseason with a meaningful guarantee to start somewhere.”

Also on Tuesday, first-year Jets head coach Aaron Glenn spoke highly about how Fields has performed during springtime workouts.

“There’s things about that player I think every coach wants them to have,” Glenn said about Fields, as shared by Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. “He has this confidence about himself — and he leads the way that he wants to lead. His influence with the guys out there, you can see it. He can galvanize a group of men. He’s a talented player, and I’m happy to have him as my quarterback. I think the sky’s the limit. I’m not going to say he’s the next Joe Namath, but he’s going to be a good player for us. I’m excited for what he’s going to do this season.”

The Chicago Bears made Fields the 11th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, but he won just 10 of 38 starts with the club before it traded him to the Pittsburgh Steelers in March 2024. With Pittsburgh, Fields went 4-2 as a starter before he was benched in favor of a healthy Russell Wilson. The Steelers then didn’t make it worth Fields’ while to stick around for at least one more season. 

That said, multiple Bears players made it known both during and after the 2023 campaign that they were quite fond of Fields. As recently as Monday, NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated mentioned that “keeping Fields was far more of a consideration for the Steelers than retaining Russell Wilson” earlier this year, in part because some people within that organization felt that Fields “improved week-over-week through the first month of the season and, in the right sort of offense, was capable of really breaking through.”

Jets wide receiver Josh Reynolds has never caught a pass from Fields during a meaningful game, but has been impressed by how the 26-year-old has looked during voluntary workouts. 

“He can throw it, man,” Reynolds said about Fields on Tuesday, per SNY. “He’s got a beautiful ball. He’s a smart quarterback, he’s been picking up this offense pretty fast.”