The Green Bay Packers are keeping a key cog of their defense, agreeing to a contract with cornerback Sam Shields on Saturday. The news was tweeted out by Shields' agent, Drew Rosenhaus.
FOX Sports 1 Insider Alex Marvez reports that Shields is getting a four-year contract worth $39 million.
Shields also turned to Twitter Saturday night, posting: "Sooooooo happy to be back with my family #GoPack!!!!!! #turnup."
Shields, who turned 26 this past December, was eligible be to given the franchise tag by Green Bay, which would have guaranteed the cornerback $11.834 million in 2014. But the Packers did not go that route, allowing Shields to become an unrestricted free agent.
Teams can start signing free agents from other teams Tuesday at 3 p.m. CT, but could talk to players beginning Saturday at 11 a.m.
A young starting cornerback like Shields was bound to demand good money on the open market, and general manager Ted Thompson and the Packers had to pony up a deal which averages $9.75 million per year. Green Bay had $33 million in cap space this offseason.
Miami re-signed two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Brent Grimes last Monday to a four-year contract worth $32 million, although Grimes is four years older than Shields.
Shields, an undrafted free agent out of Miami (Fla.), has played in 53 regular-season games for the Packers with 28 starts. He played in 14 games in 2013, starting them all.
Shields has 163 tackles in his four seasons with 13 interceptions.
Last offseason, Shields signed a second-round restricted free-agent tender for $2.023 million. While he was frustrated with that contract, he then went out and had a career-high 61 tackles and tied his best season with four interceptions.
Green Bay now has both its starting cornerbacks locked up, although Tramon Williams, who will be 31 next year, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
