It’s another season of disappointment for the New York Jets. Many thought they would potentially see a turnaround, but the opposite has happened. They sit at a 1-7 record, and it all started in Week 1 when they gave their fans hope after almost pulling off the upset against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jets lost that game, but it gave their fans belief for the campaign ahead.
Things have continued to spiral out of control for the Jets, and former Steelers quarterback Justin Fields hasn't lived up to his contract expectations. He found a way of morphing his 4-2 record as a starter for Pittsburgh last season into a massive contract during free agency. Now that New York sits at a devastating record, they might make monumental moves in the offseason.
New York is desperate to forget about the debilitating Aaron Rodgers era, but he showed he was still a better option than their current signal-caller. The Jets are in an awkward spot after committing to Fields, but they might be paying money to Rodgers and the current quarterback after this season concludes. The situation within the ongoing rebuild could hit the reset button.
Pittsburgh Steelers could witness the Jets shelling out a lot of money this offseason
With some lofty quarterbacks heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, don't be surprised if the Jets gobble up one of them. They will have a top-five pick when the season ends, and it doesn't seem like they will hold onto Fields. Unless cooler heads prevail, New York won't be afraid to kick the former Steelers gunslinger to the curb in an effort to throw a young player into the ring of fire.
The numbers for cutting Fields would be a bad look for both parties.
It would witness the Jets paying $22 million for Fields and $35 million for Rodgers in dead money next year if they make that expensive decision. Pittsburgh almost went with their backup from the previous season over Rodgers, but Mike Tomlin made the right call, and it has allowed his club to stay relevant in the standings.
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It's not all bad news for the Jets if they do release Fields from his pricey contract. They are set to have $94.36 million in cap space following the season. That is a massive amount of cash to spend in the offseason, and it could do them more harm than good. Evidence shows that New York has not used its financial resources wisely, resulting in the team becoming a laughingstock in the NFL.
The fact that the Jets could pay a combined $57 million in dead money to two quarterbacks now could be a source of nightmares for the team’s front office.
They still have a lot of cap space to spend next offseason, but no one should trust their top decision makers to make the correct choices. They should've stuck with Rodgers for another year, but they paid Fields, and that has sent their franchise back once more.