Justin Fields is entering his fifth season in the NFL, and he believes he is ready to break out.
Fields, who was a disappointment in Chicago and got benched in Pittsburgh, believes he can put it all together with the Jets.
“I believe I have the potential to be outstanding,” said Fields. “This has been my aim throughout my life and career. As I’ve mentioned, I think there’s no ceiling for what this team and offense can achieve. However, we do have a significant journey ahead of us.”
Fields showed flashes of what he could do Thursday during an OTA practice that was open to the media.
He had some nice runs, including one long one, and made a few precise passes.
Fields said he and his teammates have been bonding with outings to a local indoor golf simulator and to a crab boil last weekend.
The 26-year-old could be the latest quarterback reclamation project who thrives in a new place — as Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and Geno Smith have.
“With new strategies on both offense and defense, everyone is paying close attention and working hard to understand everything,” Fields explained. “I think once we accomplish that, there’s nothing we can’t achieve. We have all the necessary players and talent. Ultimately, it will come down to our discipline and performance during games.”
The Jets open against the Steelers, the team Fields played for in 2024, but he said he did not have any reaction to that.
“That’s who we play Week 1,” Fields said. “There really wasn’t a thought to that.”
Fields has been reunited with Garrett Wilson, his former college teammate, with the Jets.
“Things have been going well,” Fields shared. “G has been my close colleague for quite some time. On the practice field, it feels like we’ve maintained our momentum. Everything has been great so far.”
New defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said the Jets system will be a blend of what he has done and what head coach Aaron Glenn has done as a defensive coordinator.
“I really think it’s a collaboration of both of our schemes and what we’re trying to get done,” Wilks said. “But, most importantly, as coach A.G. talks about all the time, it’s not really about our playbook, it’s about our play style. That’s the thing that we’re trying to emphasize and communicate with these guys. The physicality, the effort, the demand, being smart, not beating ourselves, understanding situational football, and we’re going to make sure that we cater to our players.”
DT Quinnen Williams and DE Micheal Clemons were not at the voluntary OTA practice on Thursday.
WR Malachi Corley did not practice but watched from the side.
