Browns: Stock up/stock down after Week 17 victory

Stock up No. 2: Tony Fields

There might not be another positional group in the NFL that has been as injury plagued as the Browns linebacker’s room this season. Cleveland played four linebackers on Sunday, three of which were not on the team to start the season. Even though those three played admirably against the Commanders, we are going to spotlight the one linebacker who has survived the season to this point, Tony Fields II.

Fields was everywhere on Sunday. The second-year linebacker led the team with nine total tackles, including five solo stops. This is the second straight game where Fields has led them in total tackles. When Fields and Reggie Ragland were on the field together, the unit had some pop in their pads and looked much better in the run game.

Fields has had to grow up quickly amidst all the linebacker woes, and his play is starting to trend in the direction that could see him getting significant snaps even when they’re at full strength. A former converted collegiate safety, Fields has been baptized by fire to end his sophomore campaign and is now officially an NFL linebacker.

Fields trajectory from here is unknown, but if he keeps stacking games as he had on Sunday the Browns will have a good problem on their hands with two ultra-athletic linebackers in Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Fields. At worst, Fields is looking like an excellent depth piece going forward.