Justin Fields on learning Jets' offense: 'I think I can be great'
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Justin Fields admits that he and his Jets teammates have a long way to go in learning new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand’s system, but the quarterback is confident that he will excel in it.
“I think I can be great,” Fields said after the Jets’ OTA practice Thursday. “That’s been the goal for me my whole life, my whole career.”
Fields has shown flashes since being drafted by the Bears with the No. 11 pick in 2021, but he hasn’t established himself as a franchise quarterback yet. The Jets are Fields’ third team in three years, but they’re going to give him an opportunity to prove himself.
He is one of only three quarterbacks in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. The Jets will use Fields’ ability to peel off big gains with his legs to their advantage. They also want him to use his arm and utilize the weapons in the passing game.
“He’s just a talented individual in all facets,” Engstrand said. “He’s obviously a physically talented player. Everybody talks about the running. Well, the guy’s got an arm, too, and he does a great job with that. Mentally, he’s phenomenal. He’s been absolutely phenomenal so far, and we expect more of that.
“There’s just a lot of things that you can do with that type of player, that it’s going to put stress on the defense and make that defensive coordinator stay up late at night as we get going into this thing.”
Engstrand previously worked for the Lions as their passing game coordinator. Detroit led the NFL in scoring last year. The Jets hope to replicate some of what the Lions did.
Jets coach Aaron Glenn and Engstrand believe they can help develop Fields into a more complete quarterback.
Fields said Engstrand is throwing a lot at him right now. He is trying to grasp as much as he can and get on the same page with his receivers, who he said are running routes that are different from what he’s used to in previous offenses. He said “the sky’s the limit” for the Jets in this offense.
“We have all the guys we need, we have all the talent,” Fields said. “It’s really just going to come down to discipline and execution when the games come.”
Fields showed growth in six starts with Pittsburgh last year. He completed a career-high 65.8% of his passes for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed for five touchdowns.
In three seasons with the Bears, Fields won more than four games only once, but he led the Steelers to a 4-2 start before Russell Wilson was given the starting job.
“You just see some of the things that are starting to develop in his game, and you look at that and you go, ‘That’s pretty good. We can do some things with that,’ ” Engstrand said.
Fields is looking forward to learning this scheme, but he said it won’t be the system that leads to the Jets having success. It will be the players performing in critical moments, and he’s confident he will raise his game.
“They always say it’s up to the players to make plays when we need them the most,” Fields said. “It’s not necessarily in the scheme or anything like that, but when it’s time to make those plays in the game, when it’s time to make something happen, that’s what I’m going to do, and that’s what the guys around me are going to do as well.”
Fields has been building bonds with his teammates that he believes will impact winning. He took a group of offensive linemen and tight ends to an indoor golf facility on one of the many rainy days. He also has been spending time away from the facility with defensive players.
“That camaraderie and that closeness that we’re trying to get to as a team, I think all of that just makes us play for each other more,” Fields said. “You get to know each other better and really just learn about each other’s background. It’s really just things that you can’t measure on the football field, but I think the closer our team is, the better we’ll be.”