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View Full Version : Ron Fields: The Quiet One



Skinny
12-29-2009, 11:54 AM
I made it a point to keep a extra eye or two on him more this past week against Philly to see how he was doing as the regular season wears down. If he was sandbaggin' it/takin' plays off, or was just wearing down, or playing his butt off but still getting controlled at the LOS. Anything negative while hoping for alot of positive. I did'nt see any of that.

I liked what i saw. Other than him not playing at what i'm sure we all would like, a Pro-Bowl level and absolutely owning the LOS, i have no complaints about him. He's continued to hold his own IMO and play at a solid level as he did again last Sunday holding up double teams, and getting in the backfeild on some plays just enough to disrupt a gap or the QB pocket.

We can upgrade at the NT position, sure, and Feilds may not be the long term answer, but right now he's doing a fine job considering the overhaul and how important the NT is in the scheme we run. He really has been as solid FA pickup for us.

I hope he continues to play like this for us for a couple more years. We'd be better for it. Especially as we continue to build to where we want to be in the near future.

dogfish
12-29-2009, 12:50 PM
good post, man. . . a lot of people immediately like to blame the nosetackle if the 3-4 defense doesn't play great, but it's an oversimplification. . . i think you nailed it-- fields isn't anybody's idea of a gamechanger, but for the most part the guy has been plenty solid this year. . . he's had a few down games, but even the best can be beaten-- remember weigmann kicking kris jenkins' ass last year?

i agree that the position could still be upgraded, and i won't be unhappy if we draft a NT, but i don't view it as a priority-- especially since we still have chris baker waiting in the wings, and i expect him to develop into a quality contributor. . . i honestly think upgrading the DE spots is a higher priority than NT. . . we can get by with fields if we continue to build the talent level around him. . .

CoachChaz
12-29-2009, 01:11 PM
Screw drafting a guy. With guys like Hampton, Jolly, Pickett, Wilfork available, I think we could find an upgrade in FA.

dogfish
12-29-2009, 01:43 PM
Screw drafting a guy. With guys like Hampton, Jolly, Pickett, Wilfork available, I think we could find an upgrade in FA.

that's a good point, and IMO D-line is one of the areas that you like to address in FA when you can just because DL is typically one of the riskier positions to draft and develop-- the success rate is probably lower there than any other position besides maybe quarterback, and even the good ones can often take several years to really grow into significant contributors. . .

i like wilfork the best of that bunch, but i'm sure he'll also cost the most. . . i expect green bay to let one of their guys walk since they spent a high pick on raji last year-- possibly jolly due to his legal issues. . . hampton has been a major stud over the course of his career, but i'd be a little leery if he wants another big money contract-- he's taken a ton of pounding over the years, and i kind of have the feeling that he's close to a significant fall-off in his play. . . pitt knows when to let guys go, and there have been so many examples over the years of guys leaving there and never being heard from again (although some of that also does have to do with their system and surrounding talent). . .

CoachChaz
12-29-2009, 03:43 PM
that's a good point, and IMO D-line is one of the areas that you like to address in FA when you can just because DL is typically one of the riskier positions to draft and develop-- the success rate is probably lower there than any other position besides maybe quarterback, and even the good ones can often take several years to really grow into significant contributors. . .

i like wilfork the best of that bunch, but i'm sure he'll also cost the most. . . i expect green bay to let one of their guys walk since they spent a high pick on raji last year-- possibly jolly due to his legal issues. . . hampton has been a major stud over the course of his career, but i'd be a little leery if he wants another big money contract-- he's taken a ton of pounding over the years, and i kind of have the feeling that he's close to a significant fall-off in his play. . . pitt knows when to let guys go, and there have been so many examples over the years of guys leaving there and never being heard from again (although some of that also does have to do with their system and surrounding talent). . .

I agree on all counts. Hampton has been solid this year, but I figure that at 32, he'll get his next contract and then the production slides. Wilfork will cost a ton, and if I have to choose between Jolly and Pickett...I like Jolly. He's younger and if Baker comes along...we can always move Jolly to DE. He's not great in pass rush, but a stud against the run.

topscribe
12-29-2009, 03:54 PM
Screw drafting a guy. With guys like Hampton, Jolly, Pickett, Wilfork available, I think we could find an upgrade in FA.

If the Broncos don't make the playoffs. If the present arrangement stands, the
playoff teams won't be able to go shopping for FAs, as I understand it (I may
understand wrong), unless it is to replace a dearly departed player.

Seeing as how the Broncos' chances of going to the Super Bowl as a wildcard
team are somewhere between slim and none, it makes me almost hope they
don't get in.

Almost.

-----

Skinny
12-29-2009, 04:34 PM
I agree on all counts. Hampton has been solid this year, but I figure that at 32, he'll get his next contract and then the production slides. Wilfork will cost a ton, and if I have to choose between Jolly and Pickett...I like Jolly. He's younger and if Baker comes along...we can always move Jolly to DE. He's not great in pass rush, but a stud against the run.

I like the idea of Jolly. Like you said, he can play at either NT or DE. Versatile is good. Solid run defender who apperantly does a great job of getting his hands up at the LOS with 10 passes defensed which is pretty high for a D-lineman.

I'll be curious to see if GB lets him walk. It's probably safe to say Picketts better days are behind him.

CoachChaz
12-29-2009, 04:44 PM
I like the idea of Jolly. Like you said, he can play at either NT or DE. Versatile is good. Solid run defender who apperantly does a great job of getting his hands up at the LOS with 10 passes defensed which is pretty high for a D-lineman.

I'll be curious to see if GB lets him walk. It's probably safe to say Picketts better days are behind him.

But Pickett will be cheaper and they just payed Raji a ton to play Jolly's position. My guess would be they let Jolly walk. I'd love to have him in Denver. Gotta have at least one Aggie on the team

Ziggy
12-30-2009, 12:46 AM
Wilfork may cost the most, but he's be worth every penny. How nice would it be to see teams just plain get stuffed every time they tried to run it up the middle? The guy is a brick wall, and would compliment our LB'ers perfectly. DJ would be a monster next season.

gobroncsnv
12-30-2009, 08:11 AM
I guess I'm just ready to have a Dline that is beyond serviceable... We have decent talent behind them, (or in Doom's case, beside them)... But I'm ready for some gate-crashing pocket crushers. This has been our weakness since the 90's. We need to get more help for our LB's, and the best place to do that is right up front. An "adequate" front 3 is INadequate.
Would love to see someone like Fields be relegated to backup... as in, we have even BETTER playing starter in front of him. I mean, I like the guy and all, but I'm wanting a Dline that doesn't disappear, EVER. But then, you've heard this kind of stuff from me before.

Skinny
12-30-2009, 10:29 AM
I guess I'm just ready to have a Dline that is beyond serviceable... We have decent talent behind them, (or in Doom's case, beside them)... But I'm ready for some gate-crashing pocket crushers. This has been our weakness since the 90's. We need to get more help for our LB's, and the best place to do that is right up front. An "adequate" front 3 is INadequate.
Would love to see someone like Fields be relegated to backup... as in, we have even BETTER playing starter in front of him. I mean, I like the guy and all, but I'm wanting a Dline that doesn't disappear, EVER. But then, you've heard this kind of stuff from me before.

I think every Broncos fan feels the same way. We all would love to have that dominant defense. I feel better about heading in that direction right now more than i have in a long time.

Rather it be Baker or a Draft pick or a FA, any chance we'll have to upgrade our NT position should be looked at. If we can do that and bump Feilds to back-up, we would be a better and deeper team for it. That would be the best case scenerio for us.

Traveler
12-30-2009, 10:41 AM
We need at least one DE that can hold the point and get constant pressure. Not sure any kid coming out of college in this upcoming draft can provide that. Which leads to my question.

Is Richard Seymour available this offseason? He might be a bit long in the tooth, but he can still bring it. Anyone think he would be worth a look if no not under contract?

Superchop 7
12-30-2009, 11:31 AM
As much as I love offense, I think that the key to our success (next year) is to become "dominant" on defense ala the
Ravens during their Superbowl year. We are only a few pieces away.

I say this, because no matter what we do on offense, there will be a learning curve with a revamped o-line, and whether
we stick with Orton, replace him, or draft a stud QB there will be growing pains and thus....a mediocre offense. If we
can only score 20, lets build a defense that only allows 12.

Fields has done an average job, A significant upgrade at DT, DE would get us to where we need to be.

gobroncsnv
12-30-2009, 11:54 PM
We need at least one DE that can hold the point and get constant pressure. Not sure any kid coming out of college in this upcoming draft can provide that. Which leads to my question.

Is Richard Seymour available this offseason? He might be a bit long in the tooth, but he can still bring it. Anyone think he would be worth a look if no not under contract?

Kind of wierd... I like Seymour's game, but I don't like Seymour... We definitely need someone with his skills, so in that, you're right, but I just hate what the guy brings.... definitely born to be a Raider. Just not enough character to suit my taste. (Pulling on Clady's hair kind of did it for me...) As far as I can tell, McD is trying to stay away from that kind of guy.
Also, I don't know if the Raiders extended his contract in any way.