I think Fields should be our #1 priority at this point

without him, Lucas still upgrades our secondary, but not our defense overall...more like a wash

 

Not to worry...

 

As much as I want to agree with this, there's something that keeps tugging at me (probably his age). I certainly want him back, but I'm not so sure it's priority one. You still need to restructure Mitchell and Minter, address the need of depth at safety, and find the final piece to the O-line.

In any event, we need to get Mark back. W/o him, we wouldn't have had a chance to make the playoffs last season.

 

His age is a concern to me but mainly to the extent that his contract needs to reflect how much we think he has left realisticaly. Otherwise I love the guy and would like him to play for us as long as he can produce.

 

I'm not sure if I agree totally with that. I love Fields and he brings alot with his speed and ability but there is a reason Lucas got so much money.

A good cornor, not to mention two, that we can leave on an island will free up players to rush to QB. That's been one of our big problems for a long time. We've always had to keep Safety help over the top and get pressure with our front four. Now that we don't HAVE to do that our D-line just got even better and more deadly.

I think we got Lucas right on the cusp of him being a premire shutdown corner.

 

he wasn't even up to 100% last year...this year he will be, he brings so much to our defense with his play and with his leadership...

was he not our best defensive player the year before he got sick?

we lose Fields, we'll need Lucas to be a shutdown corner to be just as good as a defense as last year

 

Fields was a pretty good player last year and he did make some plays but he was not the same player he was before he got sick. He may not ever be that player again. I am not sure what kind of money he is looking for. I figured he would be signed by now and take a deal that was cap friendly. The fact that it has not happened yet makes me wonder if it will happen at all.

If we do not get Fields back, Short is not terrible.

 

Fields speed is mindboggling to me. I can't count how many times I saw a back creamed behind the line of scrimmage and then saw #58 standing over him and found my self wondering how the heck he got there. Imho it's important to this teams chemistry to have Fields in the locker room.

That said, I believe the return of Kris Jenkins can't be underestimated so I can't agree that with Fields lost Lucas has to be awesome just to return to last years level. A defense with Jenkins back on the defensive line and Lucas to strenthen the corner position will more than counter a loss of Fields.....but I'd rather not test that thought.

 

I think Fields has one good/great year left in him, maybe even 1 great, 1 still good. Sure hope he wants to finish up here.

But we'd be wise to look at some young LB's this draft, and get one somewhere that could be ready, at least by next year.