And furthermore: Jets' Glenn and Fields
Forgot this pair in story about new Coach/QB tandems
(Howard Balzer, whose editing bailed me out for more than four decades, caught the fact that I made a couple of mistakes in the story Analyzing Seven new coach/QB tandems. Turns out I can count, but just not the correct tandems. In my zeal to take a shot at Bryce Young, who is actually in his second season with coach Dave Canales in Carolina, I whiffed on Jets coach Aaron Glenn and QB Justin Fields. That is especially disturbing because Fields has been on my mind since his 2021 draft. Read below to find out why.)
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New York Jets: Aaron Glenn and Justin Fields
With Tanner Engstrand as OC
Strengths
Defensive DNA at the top: Glenn brings a no-nonsense, tone-setting presence from his Detroit days. He’s not here to coddle quarterbacks — he’s here to demand accountability. Fields, after years of chaos, might finally have a coach who sees him as a weapon, not a liability.
Buckeye Brotherhood: Fields reunites with Garrett Wilson, Jeremy Ruckert and Josh Myers — all former Ohio State teammates. That chemistry isn’t theoretical; it’s lived-in. Fields said it best: “We haven’t skipped a beat.”
Improved mechanics: In limited starts with Pittsburgh last year, Fields posted career highs in completion percentage (65.8%) and passer rating (93.3). He’s no longer just a runner — he’s a quarterback with a sharpened blade.
OC with mobility chops: Engstrand helped Jared Goff thrive in Detroit and now inherits a QB with far more athletic upside. Expect bootlegs, RPOs, and designed runs that actually fit Fields’ skill set.
Concerns
Third team in three years: Fields is on his third roster since 2023. That’s not just instability — it’s a warning sign. If this doesn’t work, the league may stop waiting for him to “figure it out,” although I maintain that he has been a misused victim.
Passing explosiveness: Critics still question Fields’ ability to generate chunk plays through the air. He has the arm, but can he consistently find windows and hit them before they close? Fields also has a habit of outrunning his offensive line — and occasionally the playbook.
Receiver depth: Garrett Wilson is elite, but beyond him? Allen Lazard and Josh Reynolds are serviceable, not scary. Fields may need to elevate the room himself.
Jets fatigue: This franchise hasn’t made the playoffs since 2010. If things go sideways early, the pressure will mount fast, and Fields could be the scapegoat.
2025 Projection
—Passing Yards: 3,200
—Passing Touchdowns: 21
—Interceptions: 10
—Rushing Yards: 650
—Rushing Touchdowns: 6
—Team Outlook: 7–10, with upside if Fields clicks early and Glenn’s culture takes root
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I’m personally upset about missing a chance to discuss Fields because when the San Francisco 49ers eschewed a chance to draft him in 2021 and spent three No. 1 picks to roll the dice on Trey Lance, I said at the time that was the worst transaction in franchise history.
Now that you took the time to come here for this follow-up story, let’s make it worth your while by really drilling into the Lance/Fields draft scene and way, way beyond.
The Niners began the 2021 draft at No. 12, then traded three first-round picks (and a third) to move to No. 3 so they could take Lance. Hell, they probably could have taken Lance at No. 12 for free since no other team has since fessed up that it wanted him before then.
The Falcons (No. 4) took Kyle Pitts.
The Panthers (No. 8) had just traded for Sam Darnold.
The Broncos (No. 9) passed on all QBs and took Patrick Surtain II.
The Cowboys (No. 10) traded down and took Micah Parsons.
The Bears traded with the N. Y. Giants, moving up from No. 20 to No. 11 for Fields, not Lance. The Giants received that No. 20 (WR Kadarius Toney), a 2021 No. 164, a 2022 first rounder, and a 2022 fourth rounder.
For their three No. 1 picks and a No. 3, and a four-year rookie contract worth $34.1 million, the 49ers received: Four starts, one ankle injury and a fourth-round pick from Dallas.
Was it the worst transaction in 49ers history? Let’s look at the closest competition.
O.J. Simpson Trade (1978) with the Buffalo Bills
Cost: 1979 first- and second-round picks
Return: A 31-year-old running back with two injury-riddled seasons in him.
Legacy: The 49ers gave up premium picks for a hometown player well past his prime.
Jim Plunkett Trade (1976) from the New England Patriots
Cost: Two first-round picks, two second-round picks and QB Tom Owen.
Return: Three seasons, 38 TDs, 49 INTs and a 6–21 record as a starter before waiving the former Stanford Heisman winner and No. 1 pick of the New England Patriots.
Legacy: After going untouched on the waiver wire, Plunkett’s redemption came in Oakland, where he won two Super Bowls. Seems like a better Hall of Fame story than that of Eli Manning, but will that matter?
Lance was signed as a free agent in March by the Los Angeles Chargers, who list him as a third-stringer.
The way I saw it at the time was that the 49ers passed on Fields, who had carved up Clemson’s defense and thrived under pressure. The 49ers passed on the dual-threat gamer who was tailor-made for Kyle Shanahan’s zone-read boot-action scheme for the chance to flex that coaching ego by proving he could mold a decent athlete and second-tier quarterback into an NFL star.
I had vivid memories of Fields’ prolific play in college. He was spectacular against Clemson’s touted defense in January 2021, throwing for 385 yards and a Sugar Bowl record six touchdowns, while adding 42 rushing yards. This game was particularly significant as it was a College Football Playoff semifinal and a rematch of a previous playoff game in which Ohio State lost to Clemson. Fields' performance was a redemption story, showcasing his ability to overcome a tough hit and lead his team to victory. He also set Ohio State records bowl game for passing yards, touchdown passes, and total offense.
Fields led the Buckeyes to an undefeated regular season and another Big Ten Championship with a 22-10 victory over Northwestern. This game, along with the Sugar Bowl, helped Ohio State secure another College Football Playoff berth.
I am waiting for an encore in the NFL. See, sometimes I am an optimist.
Fields absorbed hits in Chicago, rebooted his mechanics in Pittsburgh, and now gets a real shot in New York — while San Francisco managed to flourish with a quarterback who wasn’t even invited to the Combine podium. That would be Brock Purdy — pick No. 262 — the last name called in the draft, a name now on a $265 million contract extension. Who are you calling Irrelevant?
While my claims about the worst franchise transaction seemed a bit extravagant in 2021, now others are swinging hard in that direction, with some putting Lance among the worst quarterback draft busts in history.
More often, JaMarcus Russell (No. 1 overall, Raiders, 2007) and Ryan Leaf (No. 2 overall, Chargers, 1998) are named as the worst ever. Russell faded in a purple haze with only 25 starts, while Leaf had problems aplenty and started only 21 games for two teams.
Those picks may satisfy those whose myopic memory only counts the Super Bowl era, which came after the NFL existed for 46 seasons and 31 drafts (1936-66).
Reality check: The worst first-round quarterback in NFL history was in 1954 when the Cleveland Browns, seeking a successor for the great Otto Graham, picked Stanford’s Bobby Garrett No. 1 overall. Garrett had a spectacular 1953 season as a right-handed passer, left-footed kicker, and ambidextrous safety.
But Garrett never played a down for Cleveland. Some say Coach Paul Brown was irritated by a schedule conflict with the military, and others claim it was because Garrett stuttered so badly he couldn’t call plays. Regardless, he was traded to Green Bay, where he played in only nine games, none as a starter, completing 15 of 30 passes for 143 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. His highlight was recovering one fumble on defense.
And that is my nomination for the worst NFL quarterback draft bust ever.
Thanks for giving me the chance to vent, Howard.