Jets owner Woody Johnson hints at rating Justin Fields higher than Zach Wilson before 2021 Draft

The Chicago Bears drafted Justin Fields with the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. The NFC North franchise traded Fields after just three seasons with the team to draft Caleb Williams last year.

Another team that drafted a quarterback in 2021 and traded him after three seasons was the New York Jets. They selected Zach Wilson with the second overall pick, who has recently signed a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins.

After a year in Pittsburgh, Fields signed a two-year, $40 million contract with the Jets in free agency. Woody Johnson, the Jets owner, is quite optimistic about the team's future with the 26-year-old quarterback.

Per ESPN's Rich Cimini, Johnson hinted at rating Fields and Trevor Lawrence higher than Wilson at the time of the 2021 NFL draft.

"I think Justin Fields is going to be a total winner for us, Johnson said. "I've been impressed with him since his college days -- it was [Fields] or Trevor Lawrence -- and I think he's going to be really good."

Lawrence was selected with the first overall pick in the 2021 draft, which saw five quarterbacks selected in the first round. Surprisingly, he is the only one still on the team that drafted him.

Mac Jones, Trey Lance, Fields, and Wilson all signed with new teams in free agency, but only the Ohio State product is still a starting quarterback among them.

Johnson's comments about rating Fields higher than Wilson don't improve the general perception of how poorly the Jets are run. If the team's owner liked a quarterback different from the one the front office drafted, it was bound to create some tension.

Wilson's play on the field certainly didn't help him. He finished his Jets career with a record of 12-21, throwing for 6,293 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions. The 25-year-old quarterback completed only 57.0% of his passes and had a passer rating of 73.2.

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Jets could be the last team to give Justin Fields a starting QB job

Justin Fields: AFC Wild Card Playoffs: Pittsburgh Steelers v Baltimore Ravens - Source: Getty

Justin Fields played better with the Steelers than he did during his time in Chicago. The Steelers went 4-2 in the six games he started for them, and many wanted Fields to replace Russell Wilson during the team's five-game losing streak at the end of the season.

The Steelers wanted to bring Fields back, but the quarterback opted to play for Aaron Glenn in New York. However, the Jets could be the last team in the NFL to give him an opportunity to start.

Fields is on a two-year deal, so the Jets will not waste any time in benching him if he struggles next season. Glenn is quite optimistic about his quarterback, but he cannot afford to make the same mistake Robert Saleh did by continuing to trust a quarterback who didn't play well.

Fields threw for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns and one interception in six starts for the Steelers last season. He also rushed for 231 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 4.2 yards per carry.

Fields has the talent to succeed in the NFL, and now it's time for him to play well consistently. Having Garrett Wilson as his WR1 will be a huge boost for Fields, who would love to show everyone why he was highly regarded during his time at Ohio State.

The Jets have a good running game with Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis. They will open up the passing game for Fields and give him opportunities to make dynamic plays with his legs, which he has done throughout his NFL career.

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