NFL News: Justin Fields teams up with former Jared Goff weapon as Jets rebuild after Aaron Rodgers’ exit

The Aaron Rodgers era didn’t go according to plan for the New York Jets, but that’s part of the past now. Justin Fields will be leading their offense in the 2025 NFL season, with a former weapon of Jared Goff aiming to help the fifth-year quarterback in his new mission.

On Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the Jets are signing free agent wide receiver Josh Reynolds to a one-year deal worth up to $5 million. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the deal includes $2.75 million guaranteed with “reachable incentives” to make it go up.

Reynolds, 30, hit the open market after being released by the Jaguars in March. His tenure in Jacksonville didn’t last long, as the team had claimed him off waivers in December, shortly after the wideout got cut by Denver.

The 2024 NFL season was challenging for Reynolds, who entered the campaign on a two-year, $9 million deal with the Broncos after a successful, three-year tenure with the Detroit Lions. There, he met a familiar face in Goff and recorded interesting numbers.

Jared Goff #16 celebrates after a fourth quarter touchdown with Josh Reynolds #8 of the Detroit Lions against the Atlanta Falcons at Ford Field on September 24, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan.

Reynolds’ best numbers came with Goff

Before reuniting in the Motor City, Reynolds played with Goff on the Los Angeles Rams, who drafted the wideout with a fourth-round pick in 2017. In four seasons in LA, the Texas A&M product made 64 appearances (24 starts), racking up 113 catches on 201 targets for 1,450 yards with 9 touchdowns.

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Reynolds left for the Tennessee Titans in 2021 but his tenure in Nashville only lasted a few months before he landed in Detroit, who also got Goff by trading Matthew Stafford that season.

After catching 19 passes for 306 yards and 2 touchdowns in seven games (five starts), Reynolds earned a two-year, $6 million contract extension in Detroit, where he turned out to play an important role in the Lions’ rise with Goff and Dan Campbell.

Reynolds left the team after making 29 starts in 38 games, where he recorded 97 receptions on 159 targets for 1,393 yards and 10 touchdowns. Now, he’ll be looking to find with Fields the kind of chemistry he had with Goff on two different teams.

An experienced weapon for Fields on the new-look Jets

The Jets head into the 2025 season with renewed optimism after a disappointing experience with Rodgers. Not only did they part with the 4x NFL MVP, they also let go players who were signed after him, including WR Davante Adams.

Others, like Allen Lazard, seem to have their days numbered in NY. With that in mind, Reynolds is providing experience to a group of young wide receivers, led by Garrett Wilson and completed by Xavier Gipson, Tyler Johnson and Malachi Corley.

Fields, 26, is also looking to make a statement in 2025 after a challenging start to his NFL career. Even though he saw action many times with the Pittsburgh Steelers last year, the Jets guarantee him more playing time, and therefore, a bigger chance to establish himself in the league.