Green Bay Packers will have day one of the offseason tomorrow. Players will come in and clean out their lockers with some media chats. Then decisions will be made before the NFL Draft and so on with the offseason. One of the bigger decisions that Green Bay faces in the coming months is whether to keep Sam Shields or shed nine million off the payroll by releasing him. To me, the latter seems more probable, but you never know with Packers.

“It’s just like some days tough headaches, some days it’s mild,” Shields said in foyer inside the Georgia Dome. “It varies. I never know. I’m so used to it now, it’s normal. But it’s getting better. I’ll be back.”

These were the comments of Shields this afternoon. He made the trip to Atlanta, but still, he suffers from concussion-like symptoms. The concussion occurred in September, it’s January now. That’s not a good thing. Shields wants to play football again, but I’m fearful about what happens after the next hit to the head. Green Bay has to ask themselves if the risk worth the squeeze at this point. Shields is an injury-prone player. There’s no other way to say it. He hasn’t played a full season for his full seven years. Another concussion will end his career so what makes it a given Green Bay wouldn’t rather spend the nine million owed to Shields on someone with less heath problems?

Shields is a hell of a talent, but the amount of issues with him might outweigh the positives at this point. Five concussions is a lot for any football player. That’s usually the end point, but it’s clear Shields is ready to play again even if retirement may be the better choice. Many will implore him to do so, but it’s not happening from what it sounds like. The question will be if Packers corner will stay in Green Bay for another season?

Charlie.