Packers: Sam Shields planning a return to football, per report

Former Green Bay Packers cornerback Sam Shields is close to a return to football.

Shields, who was released by the Packers a year ago and didn’t play in 2017, is preparing to make a comeback.

Shields is set to visit with the Cleveland Browns this week, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Michael Cohen of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported that he will also meet with the Los Angeles Rams.

A history of concussions forced the Packers to move on from Shields, and their secondary hasn’t been the same without him. He made the Pro Bowl in 2014, and played a part in the team’s Super Bowl victory in 2010.

Green Bay entered the 2016 season confident with a trio of Shields, Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins at cornerback. But Shields suffered a concussion in Week 1 and wouldn’t play again all season. The entire secondary struggled without him.

In seven seasons, Shields made 18 interceptions for the Packers.

Both the Browns and Rams will want to know whether Shields is healthy. He did admit in an an interview with Michael Cohen of PackersNews.com that he will retire from football if he suffers another concussion. It’s an interesting conversation and well worth checking out.

Green Bay still has a need at cornerback, but it’s hard to see Shields returning to the Packers.

The Packers will likely turn to free agency and the draft to add more talent to the cornerback position.

Kevin King needs to get healthy after a season-ending shoulder injury cut his rookie season short. New general manager Brian Gutekunst will look to add more talent alongside King and Randall, who played well in the second half of 2017, this offseason.

Time will tell whether Shields makes a comeback, either with the Browns, Rams or another team.

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Do you think Shields should return to football? And if he’s medically cleared, should the Packers try and bring him back to Green Bay?