This has been my hunch from the get go and it feels like it's exactly what happened. The staff didn't want to roll out the same old Justin Fields because that doesn't work. Force him to be better or move on when he proves he can't. Look at the post game locker room video from yesterday. The whole team is celebrating, Fields can't even clap when Folk gets the game ball.
Chimney reported something similar: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...-trade-additions-john-metchie-adonai-mitchell "Fields said there's been some discussion about using him in a Wildcat role, but he has "mixed feelings" about it. Going in cold, he said, creates the potential for a soft-tissue injury." The guy is getting paid 20 mil this year, 10 guaranteed next, even though he won't be on the team. You play where you are asked to play. At this point I would consider making Brady Cook as #2.
Yeah I think you have to de-activate him for the rest of the year if he’s expressing concern for getting hurt by being put into the game to help the team win. Again though, I don’t even want to see him or the stupid wild cat. It’s so stupidly overused by the NFL.
I've said this before, if Fields would capitulate and move to some form of H-Back role even a full blown WR (no idea how good his hands are) he has a future in the league. As it stands now, I would be STUNNED if there is a 4th team in his future as far as QB goes. If he's hell bent on playing QB, he may as well take the money he's earned to date and call it a career. Be less painful on him and whichever team would pick him up.
There were about 5 different times in yesterday's game I thought Tyrod was going to be coming out of the game. I think it's gonna come down to how much the staff trusts Cook because lets get real, whoever Tyrod's backup is, he'll be playing snaps. Not that you can get much worse than Fields but the staff may be kinda cornered into keeping him active even though he should absolutely be in street clothes from here on out.
I think its the contract and Glenn's pride that's keeping Fields active. With this new refusal, Fields should be deactivated like JV said but you have to look at the optics of effectively releasing $30M of Woody's money. If the idea is to keep Woody at arm's length, throwing his money away is certainly the wrong way to go about it. A better option could be to demote Fields to QB3, elevate Cook to QB2. Sends dual messages to Fields, Woody and the rest of the roster.
I'm surprised this hasn't already happen. They really must have no confidence in Cook. Can it be anything else. The $20 mill is gone. No real "crow" to eat if you're Glenn. They took a swing and failed. Every team in the league does the same thing across the position spectrum. Some swings hit and others do not. Not a person in the league nor most fans would fault Glenn for cutting his losses.
I don’t think it’s really about confidence in the player. Brady Cook is on the fringe of even being in the NFL. Not like Fields is any better but tossing a guy in there that hasn’t seen game action is tough. I agree with you guys though, he should be the backup at this point but I get why he’s not. If the Vikings can toss Brosmer in there against one of the leagues premier defenses on the road, we can make Cook the backup.
This one is on the front office. This should’ve been something they talked to Fields about before giving him a $40 million contract
