Rams sign Sam Shields

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/22694507/sam-shields-signs-los-angeles-rams

Shields signs with Rams after year out of NFL
5:36 PM CT

Sam Shields’ NFL comeback will start with the Los Angeles Rams, who announced Thursday that they signed the former Green Bay Packers cornerback.

Shields, 30, didn’t play last season after the Packers released him in February. Before he was released, he had played in just one game in 2016 and missed four games in 2015 because of concussions.

The former Pro Bowl cornerback never returned from the concussion he suffered in the Packers’ 2016 season opener at Jacksonville. It was the fourth concussion of his NFL career and second in nine months.

“Some days it’s tough headaches. Some days it’s mild,” Shields said in January 2017. “It varies. I never know. I’m so used to it that it’s just normal. Like I said, each day it’s getting better. I’ll be back.”
Cornerback Sam Shields is getting a chance to return to the NFL with the Rams. Joe Robbins/Getty Images

When healthy, Shields was one of the top cover cornerbacks in the league. He has 23 interceptions (including the playoffs) since entering the league in 2010. From 2012 to 2016, Peters generated either an interception or a pass defended on 16.2 percent of targets thrown into his coverage, fifth-best among corners during that stretch, according to Pro Football Focus.

Shields, who won a Super Bowl with the 2010 Packers and made the Pro Bowl in 2014, will provide the Rams with some much-needed depth at outside corner.

The Rams recently acquired All-Pro cornerback Marcus Peters in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs. But their No. 2 corner, Kayvon Webster, is recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered in December, and there isn’t much depth behind him.

The Shields signing is yet another indication that the Rams don’t have much confidence in their ability to retain Trumaine Johnson, who spent the past two seasons playing under the franchise tag and is expected to have a robust market in free agency.

For Rams, signing Sam Shields is a gamble worth taking

Alden Gonzalez

http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/270682/for-rams-signing-sam-shields-is-a-gamble-worth-taking

The Los Angeles Rams signed cornerback Sam Shields on Thursday. The former Green Bay Packer has been a Pro Bowler but spent most of the past two years away from the NFL because of concussions. Here’s a closer look at the signing:

Grade: B. This is a prototypical low-risk, high-reward signing. The Rams are buying low on Shields. If he gives them anything close to what he gave the Packers earlier in his career, it’s a steal.

What it means: The meaning of this signing changed completely in a matter of hours. Shortly after adding Shields, the Rams acquired All-Pro cornerback Aqib Talib from the Denver Broncos for a 2018 fourth-round pick. Talib joins another shutdown corner in Marcus Peters on the outside, which means that Shields — along with Kayvon Webster, who is recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon — will serve as depth. Shields can try to regain his form without the pressure of producing immediately.

What’s the risk: The obvious risk is that concussions continue to keep Shields off the field. He hasn’t played since suffering his latest concussion in the opener of the 2016 season, which was the fourth of his NFL career and his second in a span of nine months. The risks lie in Shields’ long-term health, not necessarily the Rams’ immediate plans. At his best, Shields was a speedy matchup corner who was able to compile 18 interceptions from 2010 to 2015. He can help make the Rams special at cornerback.

Pot smoker:http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/01/13/sam-shields-is-charged-with-two-counts-of-marijuana-possession/

“Wade is another big influence. I definitely like his scheme and what he likes to do. I know I can fit in it.” – Sam Shields pic.twitter.com/4LJLzyskbd

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) March 9, 2018

Agamemnon wrote:

“Some days it’s tough headaches. Some days it’s mild,” Shields said in January 2017. “It varies. I never know. I’m so used to it that it’s just normal. Like I said, each day it’s getting better. I’ll be back.”

it was over a year ago. still…

InvaderRam wrote:

Agamemnon wrote:

“Some days it’s tough headaches. Some days it’s mild,” Shields said in January 2017. “It varies. I never know. I’m so used to it that it’s just normal. Like I said, each day it’s getting better. I’ll be back.”

it was over a year ago. still…

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Is it possible he’s being brought in to play safety at some point
if there’s injuries?

Maybe he’ll be a mentor for the rookies. Ya know. Teach’em the proper way to roll joints, etc.

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