Sam Shields, Cornerback
Specs: Former undrafted rookie free agent (2010) signed by the Packers, 8 year NFL vet, 31 years old, 5’11” 178 lbs, former Pro Bowler
The Why: Shields is a true veteran, a professional in every sense of the term. He played his first seven seasons with the Packers before playing for the Rams in 2018. The 2014 Pro Bowler was out of football most of 2016 and all of 2017 dealing with injuries, but rebounded to appear in all 16 games for Los Angeles last year.
In his career, Shields has 19 interceptions and 70 passes defensed. In Kansas City, he’d be afforded the opportunity to contribute regularly but not be relied upon to play every snap or cover the top guys on opposing teams. RamsWire gave this analysis entering free agency: “As a whole, Shields’ playing time was fairly limited, but he did play 233 snaps on special teams and even caught a couple of passes…Shields was a valuable, low-risk addition to the roster.”