The Jets' new quarterback Justin Fields' reputation may be predominantly as a dynamic runner, but head coach Aaron Glenn believes there's untapped potential with Fields' game as a passer.
"Obviously we want to utilize his legs, but we also want him to play quarterback," Glenn said Monday morning at the NFL's League Meetings in West Palm Beach, Fla. "This offseason, we're going to allow him during OTAs to go out there and run an offense. We're going to make sure we're going to surround him with the right type of people that's going to make him successful.
"I think he's a dynamic player and I think there's more that we can get out of that player and I'm looking forward to that."
Glenn had an up-close-and-personal look at Fields for three seasons (2021-23) when Glenn was the Lions' defensive coordinator and Fields was a young quarterback for the Bears, drafted No. 11 overall in '21. In five games against the Lions, Fields ran for more than 100 yards three times (he has 5 career 100-yard rushing games) and ran for three more scores. His 1,143 rushing yards in the 2022 season are the second most among quarterbacks in a single season.
"He's a big man [6-3]," Glenn said. "He's tough, he understands the game. I do think he brings a dimension to this game that a lot of people are trying to create around this league that we can take advantage of. I want to try and utilize that as much as possible."
Glenn described Fields as someone with football intelligence, quiet confidence and a big arm, which was on display since his days at Ohio State where he threw to a number of NFL players including Jets WR Garrett Wilson. Despite his rushing success, Fields' completion percentage, passing-touchdown-to-interception ratio and passer rating were all career highs in 2024 with the Steelers. The 26-year-old is the only quarterback since 1950 to improve in completion percentage, interception percentage and passer rating each year in his first four seasons.
"We're going to let him play quarterback," Glenn said. "That's what he's always wanted to do. I'm not saying he hasn't had a chance to play that, do that in other places. That's not my issue. I know what I want to do with that player. Obviously want to utilize his legs but want to give him a chance to go out there and play quarterback."
When projecting what the Green & White's offense will look like under offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, Glenn said it's inaccurate to look at how the Lions operated under now Bears HC Ben Johnson, who was Detroit's OC for the last three seasons, and QB Jared Goff.
"When it comes to the type of offense we're going to run, and defense, it's built around the personnel that you have," Glenn said. "I don't want to sit here and say this is who we're going to be. Tanner is going to do a really good job of figuring out everybody we have in totality of the offense.
"If you look at [Engstrand's] career, he's been under [Jim] Harbaugh, which is a run-installed offense. Obviously he's been under Ben. When you go back and watch, and just study what we've done, Ben did a really good job of putting everything together. Tanner did a really good job operating the passing game to make sure that it coincided with what we did in the running game. That's what Steve Heiden, my offensive line coach, did a really good job of also. I have all the confidence in the world that he can take all of the information he's learned and be able to create an offense with the guys we have."
