Sam Shields: Unbelievable Skill Set

[theramswire.usatoday.com]

With all the additions the Los Angeles Rams have made this offseason, it’s easy to overlook one particular signing in the secondary. Sam Shields, who hasn’t played since Week 1 of the 2016 season, was brought in as a low-risk free agent at cornerback.

In his prime, Shields was one of the better cornerbacks in the NFC for the Packers, but repeated concussions forced him to take nearly two full years off from football. He’s looking to bounce back in a big way this season with the Rams, disproving those who didn’t think he’d play another down in the NFL.


John Johnson already said in OTAs that Shields is one of the fastest players he’s ever seen, and cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant had equally good things to say about the veteran corner.

“Sam has an unbelievable skill set that really matches for what we want to do, and you better believe I’ll have the best on the field,” he said. “We make a joke and say, ‘Everybody’s gonna eat.’ The best thing for them is just to make sure that they stay process driven, and not results.”


It’s unclear how much Shields will actually see the field in 2018, but it sounds like he’s on the right track so far. He joins a secondary that also features Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib and Nickell Robey-Coleman, the latter of whom primarily plays the slot.


As for how Pleasant will handle the two boundary cornerback spots, that remains to be seen. Peters and Talib both played on the left side with their previous teams, but only one can hold down that spot in L.A.

“I said, ‘that will take care of itself.’ We do some matchup things. We do some left and some right. I will flip them both.

“Honestly, one of the things I really try to adapt to as a coach is making my players feel very uncomfortable during practice. No matter if it’s me being in their head, making sure that they’re constantly tapped in … because I really believe if you feel uncomfortable in practice, it’ll make you feel very comfortable in a game.”

It goes without saying that the Rams’ secondary is going to be fun to watch this season.