Broncos officially sign CB Andre' Goodman and DT Ronald Fields

by John Bena on Mar 3, 2009 11:47 AM MST in Denver Broncos Roster Moves

The Denver Broncos on Tuesday signed unrestricted free-agent defensive tackle Ronald Fields and cornerback Andre' Goodman, it was announced. As per club policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Fields (6-foot-2, 315 pounds) is a fifth-year defensive tackle who spent his first four NFL seasons with San Francisco, which selected him in the fifth round (137th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft from Mississippi State University. He has played 49 career regular-season games (9 starts), totaling 97 tackles (49 solo), one sack (3 yds.), one pass breakup and one forced fumble.

Fields appeared in every game for the 49ers during each of the last two seasons and registered 28 tackles (18 solo) for the club in 2008. A year earlier, he posted a career-high 39 tackles (14 solo) along with one sack and one forced fumble with San Francisco.

In 2006, the defensive tackle started a personal-best nine games for the 49ers.

A first-team All-Southeastern Conference choice as a senior at Mississippi State, Fields started 36 career games for the Bulldogs. He attended Bogalusa High School in Bogalusa, La., and was born on Sept. 13, 1981.

Goodman (5-foot-10, 190 pounds) is an eighth-year cornerback who spent his first seven NFL seasons with Miami (2006-08) and Detroit (2002-05). He entered the NFL with the Lions in 2002 as a third-round draft choice (68th overall) from the University of South Carolina.

In 87 career regular-season games (55 starts), Goodman has totaled 226 tackles (180 solo), 12 interceptions (95 yds.), 63 pass breakups, five fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles and 21 special-teams stops. He also has appeared in one career postseason contest, logging a start in Miami's AFC Wild Card Game during the 2008 season.

A 16-game starter for Miami in 2008, Goodman led the club with a career-high five interceptions (53 yds.) and 19 pass breakups while adding 39 tackles (33 solo) that season. His interception and pass breakup totals tied for sixth and seventh, respectively, in the NFL. Goodman's 55-yard interception return and five pass breakups in the Dolphins' 38-31 win at Kansas City on Dec. 21 helped propel them to a playoff berth.

Goodman started 14-of-15 games played for the Dolphins in 2006 and was the club's recipient of its Ed Block Courage Award in 2007.

A four-year letterman at South Carolina, Goodman posted 86 tackles, four interceptions and 20 pass breakups during his collegiate career. He was an all-state selection at Greenville High School in Greenville, S.C., where he played both defensive back and wide receiver.

Goodman was born on Aug. 11, 1978.

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Solid Acquisitions

They may not be big names or have big numbers but they know their Roles

"We should have kept Seattle and dumped San Diego from the Division"

Davis and Sharpe to the Hall!

by Jon Tollerud on Mar 3, 2009 12:20 PM MST reply actions

Is Fields the answer at NT?

He has the size and experience. Is he strong enough to play the two gap?

It all starts in the trenches - HT 11/11/08
the behind in your avatar is not a male behind - Zappa 02/18/09

by firstfan on Mar 3, 2009 8:01 PM MST reply actions

The niner fnas don't think so

they are happy to replace him with a younger rotation.

In my mind this move steps just a shade outside of what MCd and co have been up to, and I think it does for a reason: they have been filling up the next two years salary and roster limits with players that don’t look to have a significantly longer effect. Between our current youth and the youth tht will come this offseason in the draft, they are looking to build an inexpensive and high value-to-weight-ratio core.

Tehy would have loved for some of the high demand FAs (who actually have value) to come down in price, but it didn’t happen. Fields enters the pictures as a ‘tweener’ not quite young and productive enough to be a solid signing, but not old enough to only be a short term solution. They will have to pay this guy at a higher “impact level” if you will, than the previous “veteran” free agents.

So why diverge from the plan?

because I think they look at the roster and see NO viable options at NT, and there aren’t enough kids in the draft, nor even enough production or experience to fill it to even a modicum of decency. And we all know everything we have done is for naught without that NT.

Now, none of this is news to the MHR community, we have been hypothesizing about the need at the position since rumors early in 2008 indicated we were going to try some 3-4. But what the Fields signing serves, is to PROVE that McXanders and co are on the same page. They have too many people still to fit under the salary cap (I estimate we are only about halfway there right now) so a Canty and probably even Wright will tend to be out of our price range. But they felt they had to sign someone, and it looks like it will be Fields. Except for Wright, i really don’t think there are any halfway productive Dlinemen out there anymore, and certainly none that we can afford.

In regards to your question, Fields can play NT, will have issues as a two-gap player, but he won’t be considered an answer in any sense other than 2009. I’m sure the hope in Dove Valley is htat they can get the guys they want in the draft, and get a rookie starting at NT soon. There are at least 5 guys who I think they could be looking at that have that potential…

Concision in style, precision in thought, decision in life.

by Jeremy Bolander on Mar 4, 2009 4:09 PM MST up reply actions