Sam Shields

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

No kidding, eh? A UDFA who played in 14 games as a rookie, was listed as a nickle back, but was really essentially a starter. Tramon didn't start until he was in the league for 2 1/2 seasons, he sat behind Woodson ad Harris and learned.

There isn't a team in the league that doesn't look at Shields and kick themselves.

Can we get the facebook "like" bottom on here???

[Deputy Nutz]

I'm far from an expert but I feel like he may have been better last year. Hopefully now that Tramontana is back, he will be matched up with a less capable receiver and have more success.

Tramon isn't playing like he was last year, but I would still take both of those guys. Woodson has officially lost a step and he needs to be locked on the slot and around the LOS. I have said he hasn't played safety yet, and even if he were to make that move and Collins comes back healthy where would Woodson play? You have Morgan Burnett and from everything that I have seen he is going to be a full time starter in this league for a while.

[Packers4Glory]

remember it took Williams a few yrs to be what he is today. You can see it in Shields. If he keeps on this path he'll be ready to take over when Woodson is done at CB.

[rbaloha1]

Man, people are harsh. He's still a young player, still developing. What is he, like 23 years old? He's still learning the craft.

Good point. Nontheless this is the time big leaps are most possible. No doubt the lack of minicamps hurt development. Maybe the giant leap happens in his money year. Reference Jordy Nelson.

[Upnorth]

remember it took Williams a few yrs to be what he is today. You can see it in Shields. If he keeps on this path he'll be ready to take over when Woodson is done at CB.

Sheilds will be very good, hopefully great, but replace woodson? One can only hope.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Man, people are harsh. He's still a young player, still developing. What is he, like 23 years old? He's still learning the craft.

True that, he's been playing corner for what, his 3rd season now? He'll get better.

[Packers4Glory]

Sheilds will be very good, hopefully great, but replace woodson? One can only hope.

haha I think you are reading a bit too much into what I said.

I don't mean that he'll be as good as Woodson. Only that Woodson's career at CB is going to be coming to an end here pretty soon. When that happens I think Shields will be more than ready to step in as a capable starter provided he continues to improve, learn, and grow. He's got a great guy to pattern his game after much like Williams had Wood and Al.

I really believe the rookies and 2nd yr players lost a lot of valuable time in the lockout and you can't expect huge leaps from yr 2 guys like you would usually look for because of it.

[bobblehead]

Sam Shields is still a great value to this team, although I am wondering if he is going to be skilled enough in the coming years to be a solid starting cornerback in the NFL. He plays almost 90% of the snaps now, but let Packer fan hope he is not another flash in the pan type player(Sam Gado).

Hard to be a flash in the pan CB. Teams attacked him often last year and paid the price for it. CB isn't a position you can just be lucky at for more than a game or 2.

[Joemailman]

gotta agree; he has a sub par preseason and game one was junk
But he stepped it up against the Bears; maybe since he's only in yr two he needed more time and is effected by lack of practice time.

I kind of agree with B. I think Shields may have been affected by the lockout just like a lot of rookies are. He's still in a situation where he needs reps to bet better.

[Smeefers]

I don't think Sam Shields has a ceiling. The guy has three pro bowlers teaching him how to play his position and he's eating it up. The kid is amazing. He has all the natural talent in the world and I think a Tramon comparison is perfect. Give him a couple more years and I think he's going to be a star.

[RashanGary]

I don't think Sam Shields has a ceiling. The guy has three pro bowlers teaching him how to play his position and he's eating it up. The kid is amazing. He has all the natural talent in the world and I think a Tramon comparison is perfect. Give him a couple more years and I think he's going to be a star.

Agree. I'm not the least bit worried about Shields.

[Harlan Huckleby]

It took Tramon Williams 4 years to be good.

[vince]

I hope he follows in Tramon's footsteps. He's definitely got the skills, although his slightly checkered past suggests that he hasn't always been a "sit in the front row with pen in hand taking notes in meetings" kind of family guy like Tramon is.

The fact that he came to camp and was very inconsistent isn't necessarily damning, but it does make one wonder if maybe he could have worked a little harder in the offseason. He's a young single guy making six-figures living in South Florida with a relatively recent drug charge. His motivations and values could be different than Tramon's and that's the kind of stuff (lack of discipline) that can separate the talented from the great. Hopefully he's a good guy who made some mistakes and wants to be great because without that he won't be.

Marquis Mosley, his former receivers coach at Miami summed it up pretty welll in this article...

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/sports/Former-UM-Corner-Shields-Busted-for-Pot-88723722.html

“Florida State is not holding back Sam Shields." Oklahoma is not holding back Sam Shields. Texas A&M is not holding back Sam Shields. Sam Shields is holding back Sam Shields. If Sam can get out of his own way, he will be a great football player.”

Shields seemingly did get out of his own way in time for one final season and a crack a new position where he might increase his chances at playing in the NFL. He started 10 out of 12 games at cornerback last season and was sixth on the team in tackles, and isn't known to have been in any trouble.

Expected to try his hand at the league as either a very late-round pick or an undrafted free agent, Shields can at least comfort himself with the knowledge that any future NFL employer is probably less concerned with a little pot possession and more stymied as to how one actually gets oneself arrested for it.

[Upnorth]

So with Williams and Sheilds as our starters, Peprah and Burnett play saftey, and Woodson doing his thing in the Nickle, how are we giving up so many yards in the air?

[Fritz]

I hope he follows in Tramon's footsteps. He's definitely got the skills, although his slightly checkered past suggests that he hasn't always been a "sit in the front row with pen in hand taking notes in meetings" kind of family guy like Tramon is.

The fact that he came to camp and was very inconsistent isn't necessarily damning, but it does make one wonder if maybe he could have worked a little harder in the offseason. He's a young single guy making six-figures living in South Florida with a relatively recent drug charge. His motivations and values could be different than Tramon's and that's the kind of stuff (lack of discipline) that can separate the talented from the great. Hopefully he's a good guy who made some mistakes and wants to be great because without that he won't be.

Marquis Mosley, his former receivers coach at Miami summed it up pretty welll in this article...
http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/sports/...-88723722.html

But aren't quotes from Whitt often filled with praise for Shields's humble demeanor and his work ethic?