According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the New York Jets have traded quarterback Justin Fields to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Fields, 26, signed a two-year, $40 million contract with the team last offseason but was benched after a rough 2-7 start to the season.
Throughout his nine starts, the former Chicago Bear completed 62.7% of his passing attempts for 1,259 yards, seven touchdowns, and one interception. Even with one interception, he still struggled with ball security as Fields logged four fumbles while enduring 27 sacks.
Following his benching, reports indicated that the Jets wanted to integrate Fields into their game plan while using him in a “wildcat” role. However, the quarterback reportedly had “mixed feelings” about that.
Schefter noted that other teams expressed interest in the signal-caller, but ultimately, Kansas City was Fields’ preferred destination.
In return, the Jets will receive a 2027 sixth-round pick from Kansas City. The Jets are taking on $7 million of Fields’ $10 million guaranteed base salary, clearing an additional $3 million in cap space compared to if the Jets released him.
As Patrick Mahomes continues to recover from a torn ACL, Fields will get a significant amount of reps throughout the offseason and preseason under one of the league’s most established head coaches, Andy Reid.
Fields, a first-round pick in 2021 who has struggled to find sustained success since entering the league, perhaps now lands in the ideal environment to rebuild his confidence. Meanwhile, the Jets get a solid return for a player who had no future with the team.
