Justin Fields’ Jets audition is already raising serious concerns

The New York Jets took a calculated swing this offseason when they signed former first-round pick Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract. Fields offered the Jets a high-upside bridge quarterback with the sense of potential the other options on the market didn't really have.

It was a low-risk move with the potential for high reward, as the Jets hoped they might be able to get the best out of Fields with a proper offensive system built around him and a legitimate chance to be the starting QB.

There have been moments where that potential has flashed this summer, but through the first stretch of training camp, the early returns haven’t exactly inspired much confidence.

Fields has struggled to find consistency, and while the team remains hopeful he can grow into the role, he’s likely been outplayed by veteran Tyrod Taylor, who is currently sidelined due to a knee injury. Tuesday's practice continued a brutal stretch for the former Bears QB.

Justin Fields' struggles continue in Jets training camp

Fields finished Tuesday's practice just 9-of-16 in team drills with three interceptions, three sacks, and a dropped pass by Allen Lazard. Two of those picks came during 11-on-11 action, while the other occurred during 7-on-7s, a deflected pass intended for Josh Reynolds that was picked off by safety Tony Adams after a tip from Sauce Gardner.

The most discouraging moment came in a late drive-the-field drill, when Fields led the offense into the red zone before throwing a high pass off Jeremy Ruckert’s hands that was intercepted by cornerback Brandon Stephens.

It was a frustrating end to a promising drive that had been helped by solid run plays before a holding penalty backed them up. Even in 7-on-7 drills, Fields' struggles were evident.

The Ohio State product went just 1-of-4 in 7-on-7s, struggling to find any rhythm as the defense clamped down. Turnover issues that had mostly stayed away this summer finally showed up, with Fields throwing three interceptions in a frustrating performance.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t an isolated performance. Fields has now completed just 15 of his last 42 pass attempts across his last three practices. That includes a 2-of-10 showing and a 4-of-16 day, both marred by inconsistency and inaccuracy. Ball security has generally been a bright spot this summer, but even that began to unravel on Tuesday.

There's still plenty of time for Fields to turn things around, and it's always important not to overreact to training camp stats, but the Jets would like to see some progress from their young QB this summer. At some point, flashes need to turn into consistency.

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has not revealed whether Fields and the rest of the starters will play in this Saturday's preseason opener, but at this stage, getting him as many reps as possible in the new system might be the smart move.

The Jets don't need Fields to be perfect in August, but right now, he’s making it hard to believe September will look much different.

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