There was a brief moment in time when the New York Giants being tied to Justin Fields didn’t sound like the dumbest idea on the table. He was young, mobile, and not far removed from a moment or two in Pittsburgh that at least made you want to see a little more. The price tag wasn’t ridiculous either, just two years, $40 million, and the risk didn’t seem all that steep compared to giving Daniel Jones $160 million.
But instead of forcing a fix, the G-Men did something that felt borderline un-Giants-like: they played it smart. They waited patiently. They let the market unfold. And somehow, they wound up with Russell Wilson on a one-year deal while still drafting the quarterback they wanted in Jaxson Dart. It was exactly the kind of plan that gave them flexibility and didn’t scream, "We're desperate," even though they surely were.
That same luxury clearly doesn’t exist in Florham Park, where Fields has spent the past few days throwing ducks and giving Jets fans some very real Zach Wilson flashbacks.
Justin Fields’ camp meltdown is making the Giants look like geniuses
This isn’t hindsight bias. It’s just hindsight clarity. Per SNY's Connor Hughes, Fields has now gone 15-of-43 over his last three practices with two interceptions and nothing to show beyond five air yards:
The #Jets practice is over. Bad day for the offense. Run game was solid, but passing is not good at moment.
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) August 5, 2025
Justin Fields finished 9 of 17 with 2 interceptions. I did not have a completion beyond five air yards. He took three sacks. Stats do not include 1 of 4 passing with an… pic.twitter.com/Ymx7F32AmJ
That is... atrocious. Those are Daniel Jones numbers if I've ever seen them. This is the guy the Jets chose to hand the offense to after watching the Aaron Rodgers experience crash and burn in ways only Aaron Rodgers can crash and burn.
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Fields has been in the league for four seasons. This isn’t some second-year leap they’re waiting on. This is a make-or-break year for the still-young 26-year-old, but so far, all he’s really doing is already making the Jets regret signing him.
Meanwhile, the G-Men have a motivated veteran who still knows how to throw a deep ball, work a locker room, and actually serve as a stopgap until Dart’s ready. He's been connecting early and often with Malik Nabers, becoming the most electric duo of the offseason, showing flashes of what used to make him special.
No one's saying Russ is going to turn things around. But he gives the Giants a much better QB situation than their little brother's. They didn’t spend $30 million guaranteed to see if a guy could finally become something he's never been in four-plus seasons. They spent $10 million guaranteed to make sure their rookie doesn’t get thrown into the fire too early.
Fields might still figure it out at some point. But right now, he’s flailing in a Jets offense that’s already seen too many failed experiments. The Giants didn’t need another gamble. They needed a plan, and for once, they actually had one. And it seems to be working out so far.