The Green Bay Packers have been without cornerback Sam Shields for four games now.
Shields suffered a concussion early in the win over Dallas in week 14 and hasn’t played since, but this may finally be the week he gets back on the field.
“He had a good workout yesterday. He’s getting close,” coach Mike McCarthy said Wednesday morning.
This would, in fact, be a great week for Shields to return. The Arizona Cardinals have one of the best receiving corps in the league and likely one of the fastest.
They had two 1,000-yard receivers in 2015. Grizzled veteran Larry Fitzgerald caught 109 balls for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns. Second-year man John Brown caught 65 for 1,003 and seven. Throw in Michael Floyd (52, 849, 6) and you have a nice trio.
We’ll also note those last two guys averaged more than 15 yards per reception, so they can stretch the field.
Shields is the Packers’ fastest defender. Plus, the status of rookie corner Quinten Rollins is still unknown.
He left the Washington game with quad injury and was replaced by our boy Larry Gunter.
With a short week, the Packers’ only real practice this week is on Friday. Both today’s and Thursday’s sessions are abbreviated. We should have a pretty clear picture Friday afternoon.
I still don’t think it was a concussion. It’s something else. Shoulder? Knee? I don’t buy it.
Hope he can take a collision. We need him with rollins out. He and randall have speed to keep up az with wide receivers. Rollins and gunter are good but a little slower.