The Kansas City Chiefs made waves during the offseason when they snagged quarterback assurance for an injured Patrick Mahomes by trading with the New York Jets to get Justin Fields on the roster. In the deal, which officially happened on Wednesday, March 18, the Chiefs got Fields and the Jets received a 2027 sixth-round pick.
Fields, 27, started nine games for the New York Jets during the 2025-26 season, according to NFL research, completing 128-of-204 passes for 1,259 yards and seven touchdowns. He also rushed for at least 45 yards in four of his nine game starts.
Fields was along one of the most sought-after quarterback prospects in the 2021 NFL draft, with the the Chicago Bears picking him as their No. 11 overall selection. With the Bears, Fields played in 40 games for Chicago, with 38 starts, and completed 578-of-958 attempts for 6,674 yards and 40 touchdowns.
So, was this a good or bad deal for the Kansas City Chiefs. At a glance, getting a seasoned quarterback such as Fields for just a six-rounder seems like a good deal, but not everyone agrees.
Kansas City Chiefs Get Criticized for Justin Fields Trade
In a feature for USA Today out Monday, March 16, Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz grades the Fields trade. He’s not a fan of it and gives the franchise a “C” for the move. In the case that Mahomes is out for even a short-term run, he believes a quarterback with more experience may have proven a better fit.
“The available alternatives for a QB2 – including (Carson) Wentz, Kirk Cousins, Joe Flacco, Russell Wilson and Jimmy Garoppolo – skew far older and likely don’t inspire a ton of confidence either,” he noted in the story.
He adds, “But if Fields has to step in for the Chiefs in a short-term arrangement, the team might regret not opting for a steadier hand.”
Other NFL Experts Think the Justin Fields Trade is an ‘A’ for the Chiefs
But, all is not lost. Over at CBS Sports, their experts have a different view. They give the Chiefs an A grade for the trade.
“With Patrick Mahomes recovering from a torn ACL that just happened in December, his availability for Week 1 is far from guaranteed,” John Breech notes in the piece. “The backup QB spot is an important position in Kansas City this year, and although Gardner Minshew had the job last season, he left for Arizona, which put the Chiefs in desperate need of some quality. That’s where Fields comes in.”
Breech adds, “The best part of the Chiefs is that they got him for almost nothing: It’s a 2027 draft pick, and the Jets are paying almost all of Fields’ salary.” He continues, “Even if Mahomes can play in Week 1, the Chiefs still need a strong back to come in and take most of the offseason snaps, so even if Fields doesn’t see a lot of playing time during the regular season, he’s going to essentially be the top guy on the depth chart for most of the offseason while Mahomes is out.”
This reporter has to agree that the Chiefs got Fields for next to nothing. I really appears to be a winning deal for Mahomes and the Chiefs.
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