Training camp has a different feel for Jets quarterback Justin Fields than it did a year ago.
Instead of battling for the starting job, he knows the job is his.
The Jets have said since Fields signed in March that he is the starter.
It is a big difference from last year, when Fields was competing with Russell Wilson for the starting job with the Steelers.
“I think you don’t have to worry about as much,” Fields said Wednesday after the first camp practice. “You know, last year, like I said, it was kind of in a weird position, but I think, you don’t have to do as much thinking and you kind of just know where you are and focus on getting better, focus on leading the team each and every day, so it’s just not as much other stuff going around, so it’s good.”
Fields invited some of his teammates to Florida in the break between the spring program and training camp to work out together.
He said it was important to get their timing down, but also to get to know his new teammates.
Coach Aaron Glenn praised Fields’ consistency.
“Listen, he’s as consistent as it is,” Glenn said. “The way that he operates in OTAs is the same way he’s going to operate in training camp. The thing is, you can see that he is improving, he understands he’s our guy, but he also understands that he has to work for it, too. Just because you’re our guy doesn’t mean that you [don’t] have a job to do and the guy behind you isn’t going to compete for the job either.”
The Jets signed WR Garrett Wilson and CB Sauce Gardner to four-year extensions last week, even though Glenn has not coached them in a game yet.
He was asked why he did not want to wait and watch them for a year before signing them long term.
“The film doesn’t lie, first off,” Glenn said. “Then, just being around them. I’m a pretty good judge of character as far as knowing who a guy is and just being around them for a little bit and how they operate and how they respond to certain things. Those two guys, they’re our foundational players. I’m glad that we got the deals done because I want them here for a long time.”
The Jets signed OL Samuel Jackson. … They activated LB Aaron Smith from the NFI list.
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