As the Packers begin to reload for 2017, they’re moving on from a guy who did little to assist the effort in 2016.
A league source confirms that the Packers have released veteran cornerback Sam Shields.
Undrafted in 2010, Shields became a contributor defensively as a rookie, helping the team to a Super Bowl win. He became a full-time starter in 2013, and he signed a four-year, $39 million contract a year later.
A concussion suffered in Week One of the 2016 season kept Shields on the sideline for the rest of the year. He eventually was placed on injured reserve.
In October, authorities found marijuana in Shields’ home. Last month, he was charged with two counts of marijuana possession.
Shields has said that he wants to continue playing, despite still having periodic headaches. The Packers avoid a salary of $8 million by releasing him; they’ll carry a cap charge of $3.125 million arising from the final chunk of his signing bonus.