After being replaced by Russell Wilson midway through the 2024 campaign, New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields isn't worried about Gang Green pulling an Atlanta Falcons and immediately drafting his replacement.
Asked about whether the Jets might draft a rookie quarterback to battle for the starting gig, Fields passed on providing any fuel for a fire.
"I don't really like to answer rhetorical questions, but like I said, I'm willing to teach. However, I'm not really interested in, you know, rhetorical questions," he said.
It's a smart answer -- neither flamboyant nor completely dismissive of the question.
Fields noted that he's not into pushing the front office to draft any certain player or position.
"I think that's above my pay grade, so I'm gonna roll with whatever they choose," he said.
Gang Green has needs throughout the roster, from offensive line to wide receiver to the defensive line to tight end to safety. There are few positions the Jets could use an early pick on that wouldn't make sense.
The Jets inked Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract to help bolster Aaron Glenn's squad after New York's wayward two years under Aaron Rodgers. The new signal-caller is out to prove he can raise all boats on a rebuilding team coming off a 5-12 campaign. Fields understands the Jets' turnaround might not happen in one swoop.
"I've been on good teams. I've been on bad teams," Fields said. "So, just the mindset and really just, like you said, the leadership. AG (Aaron Glenn) has been in the same situation where Detroit didn't start off hot. I think he knows how to take a bad situation and turn it into a good one. I've been on teams that that have been 3-14 and stuff like that and, of course, last year, Pittsburgh, we had a pretty good team making it to the playoffs and had a hot start. So, I've seen both sides of it. I can kind of tell the difference between just the characteristics of a team that is not doing so well and the characteristics of a good team. Really just trying to implement that into our team and trying to get all the good characteristics and just find the recipe of what makes us a playoff team."
