GREEN BAY — Count Green Bay Packers running back DuJuan Harris among those who will be a proponent of regular checkups.

It was during a physical before minicamp that doctors discovered Harris had a cyst in his chest that was pressing on one of his lungs. Harris, one of the feel-good stories for the Packers last season, underwent surgery Tuesday to have the cyst removed.

That explains his absence from the team’s minicamp this week.

“He’s very thankful for regular checkups,” Harris’ agent, Dave Lee, said Wednesday after Harris tweeted a picture from his recovery. “Thankfully, the cyst wasn’t cancerous. The interesting thing was that he played with it last season, but they didn’t find it until now.”

The surgery was performed at Bellin Hospital. Harris tweeted the following message Wednesday:

“EVERYTHING IS FINE, (doctors) found a fist sized cyst on my lung next to my heart. Shows the importance of getting routine check-ups, GET YOURS!”

Coach Mike McCarthy said Harris will miss the remainder of the offseason program, which wraps up at the end of next week. Lee said the recovery time is two weeks.

“There’s actually a benefit to (the surgery),” Lee said. “The cyst was pressing against his lung, and now he has full capacity with his lungs so he should have even more endurance and speed, so it was a blessing in disguise.”

Lee said the doctors told him that had the cyst not been discovered, it could have caused him more serious problems later in life.

Harris, a street free agent who was promoted from the practiced squad on Dec. 1, was the Packers’ most productive back late last season, when he averaged 4.6 yards per carry over the final month. He was the starter in the playoffs.

Demovsky writes for the Green Bay Press-Gazette, a Gannett property.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Drew Rosenhaus, the agent for cornerback Sam Shields, is meeting face to face with Green Bay Packers officials on Monday in order to get a deal done in time for him to participate in this week’s minicamp, a person with knowledge of the talks told USA TODAY Sports.

The person requested anonymity because neither the team nor the agent have made the talks public.

Shields, a fourth-year pro, is a restricted free agent. He was tendered at the second-round rate, meaning if he plays this season for the tender he would make $2.02 million.

However, Rosenhaus is believed to be seeking a long-term deal for Shields, who played in 12 games (including playoffs) last season and was the team’s best cover corner.

No other teams signed Shields to an offer sheet before the April 19 deadline, meaning the Packers hold exclusive negotiating rights with him.

If Shields does not sign his tender by June 17, the Packers could reduce their offer to 110 percent of his 2012 pay, which was $540,000.

Shields has not participated in the Packers’ offseason program because he is not under contract. He also would not be subject to fines for missing the mandatory minicamp for that same reason.

Demovsky writes for the Green Bay Press-Gazette, a Gannett property.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.