Justin Fields Experiment Could Be Worth It In Long-Run

The New York Jets will be selecting a quarterback in the upcoming NFL Draft. So now some are saying the Jets wasted $30 million on Justin Fields. That couldn’t be farther from the truth.

So, let’s take a look at some numbers:

2026 Cap Hits for Justin Fields/No. 1 pick

Justin Fields: $22 million/$13 million (dead)
No. 1 Pick: $10,580,346

2027 Cap Hits for Justin Fields/No. 1 pick

No. 1 pick: $13,225,433
Justin Fields: $9 million (dead)

That’s a total of $45,805,779 in cap space and $43,196,471 in cash spending for the Jets, but at least they have a chance to hit on a quarterback in the draft.

Keeping Aaron Rodgers would’ve cost the Jets $13,650,000 in cash (based on his Steelers contract) in 2025 and combined cap charges of $48.65 million in 2025-26 or 2025-27. Plus, they likely would be in quarterback hell.

The Jets need to hit on the quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft to make it worth it, but this way of doing it is better than keeping Rodgers around.