The Justin Fields era is over in New York after just one season, as the Jets are trading Fields to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2027 sixth-round pick.
Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport, the Jets will pick up $7 million of the guaranteed $10 million Fields has left on the two-year, $40 million deal he signed last offseason, and will take a dead cap hit to do so – but, as they are paying Geno Smith just $3.3 million in 2026 after acquiring him last week, the Jets are only on the hook for about $300K above what they had in Fields alow.
Fields, 27, was the No. 11 overall pick of the Bears in 2021, but he will be on his fourth team in four seasons next year after going 2-7 as the Jets’ starter in 2025.
Owner Woody Johnson pegged Fields as a large part of Gang Green’s 0-7 start, with head coach Aaron Glenn later benching him for Tyrod Taylor, and he finished the season on injured reserve after accruing 1,259 passing yards, seven touchdowns to one interception, and 71 rushes for 383 yards and four TDs.
The Jets acquired Smith from the Raiders last week to be their QB1 in 2025, with Smith restructuring his contract to facilitate the deal, and they also have Brady Cook, who started the final four games last season as an undrafted rookie free agent, and ex-Patriot Bailey Zappe under contract as well.
As for Fields’ new home, he could have the opportunity to start early in the season as Patrick Mahomes continues to recover from a torn ACL suffered in mid-December. Kansas City went 0-3 down the stretch with Gardner Minshew and Chris Oladokun starting, and with Minshew signing with Arizona last week, KC was in the market for a backup suited for Andy Reid’s offense.