It’s cutdown day in the NFL as the Vikings will have to trim the roster from 88 to 53 players by 3 p.m., but one spot appears to be locked up by a cornerback Minnesota has reportedly acquired in a trade.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Vikings have traded for Chiefs cornerback Mark Fields. Ben Goessling reports that Minnesota sent the Chiefs a 2021 conditional seventh-round pick for Fields.
Trade: The #Chiefs are sending CB Mark Fields to the #Vikings, source said.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 31, 2019
Fields was signed by the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent out of Clemson after the 2019 NFL Draft.
According to USA Today’s Chiefs Wire, Fields had an excellent preseason through three games before he struggled in the fourth preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. The report says:
“Todd McShay had an open mic during the Chiefs’ broadcast of the game and was heard describing Andy Reid’s displeasure in Fields. McShay was heard saying, “Let’s just say that No. 26 doesn’t have a spot on the roster.” For the Chiefs to turn around and trade Fields is pretty cunning for Brett Veach.”
ESPN’s Courtney Cronin believes Fields will provide depth at both the outside and slot cornerback positions. She notes that Fields almost signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent.
https://twitter.com/CourtneyRCronin/status/1167803290853236736
One thing is certain with Fields: He can fly. The 5-foot-10 speedster ran the 40-yard dash in a blistering 4.37 seconds at the NFL Combine.
He also has football in his blood as his father, Mark Fields, was a Pro Bowl linebacker for the Saints and Panthers.
Trading for fields could be a signal that Minnesota’s coaching staff isn’t thrilled with the cornerback depth behind the core four of Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, Mackensie Alexander and Mike Hughes, who was just activated from the Physically Unable to Perform list earlier this week.
It’s unclear if the Vikings will keep Holton Hill on the 53-man roster while he serves an eight-game suspension.
