49ers 2021 ‘Who is?’ series: Will Mark Fields II make the cut?

The 49ers plucked Mark Fields II off waivers from the Texans during the offseason, but he faces a long road ahead of him to make the 53-man roster.

Perhaps there’s a world where 24-year-old defensive back Mark Fields II makes the San Francisco 49ers‘ 53-man roster this season.

It doesn’t seem likely. But there’s an opportunity there for sure.

Fields, signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent out of Clemson following the 2019 NFL Draft, subsequently ended up with the Minnesota Vikings and then the Houston Texans before being waived and subsequently claimed by the Niners in March of 2021.

After recovering from a punctured lung suffered late in 2020 with Minnesota, Fields now has five regular-season games to his credit and will likely be competing for one of the available depth spots on San Francisco’s 53-man roster in training camp and the preseason.

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com
Generated 6/14/2021.

The 49ers claimed Fields before they had re-signed veteran corners Jason Verrett and K’Waun Williams, and also before they’d selected two more cornerbacks, Ambry Thomas and Deommodore Lenoir, in the 2021 NFL Draft.

As such, Fields faces an uphill battle.

But there’s room for him to make the cut, as Niner Noise’s annual “Who is?” series explores.

Why Mark Fields finds a home with 49ers in 2021

Fields is still young enough to warrant some development, and he managed to flash some above-average movement skills at the collegiate level that ultimately warranted him becoming a priority free agent after the 2019 draft.

At 5-foot-10 and 192 pounds, Fields lacks ideal size to play on the boundary, but his reaction abilities could make him competent enough to cover slot receivers. And having run a 4.37 40-yard time at his NFL Scouting Combine, it’s hard not to be a little enticed by his straight-line speed, which could be his best asset heading into training camp.

Why Mark Fields is on the 49ers roster bubble in 2021

While Fields has both speed and movement to his advantage, he’s never been a ballhawk defensive back, and it was all too often he was pushed off by bigger, stronger receivers at the college level.

That won’t get any easier within the pros, and it partially suggests why he’s seen action in just five regular-season games since joining the NFL.

On top of that, the Niners are expected to deploy more man-coverage schemes under first-year defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, and Fields is much more adept at zone coverage than man, where he can get pushed around.

Chances of making 49ers’ 53-man roster in 2021

The Draft Networked originally pegged Fields as a Round 3 prospect, so there are some high-quality attributes to like here.

But the fact he’s flamed out with the Chiefs, Vikings and Texans says a lot, and the sheer number of other defensive backs San Francisco is looking to develop will ultimately cut into the number of reps he’ll see during camp and snaps during the preseason.

Perhaps the best shot Fields will have to stick around into the regular season will be if he can show promise as a primary backup to Williams, the 49ers’ projected starting nickel cornerback. This spot on the depth chart remains a bit of an open-ended question, although it’s possible either Thomas or Lenoir wind up filling this void.

Related Story: 3 things to expect from 49ers rookie Deommodore Lenoir

If so, Fields is likely off the roster.

It’ll take an awfully strong training camp, from Fields’ perspective, to survive roster cuts. Judging by his previous NFL track record, the likely scenario is him seeing some time during the Niners’ first two preseason games in the second half before getting an increased share of field time in the third and final preseason bout.

As far as his bubble watch goes, Fields is certainly on the weakest portion of the cornerback depth chart and will have a tough road ahead to be on the roster by Week 1.