Richard Sherman - Pro Football Rumors

Richard Sherman To Visit Lions?

March 10th, 2018 at 1:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two stops on Richard Sherman‘s itinerary have now emerged. The free agent cornerback has scheduled a visit with the Lions, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

Sherman’s 49ers meeting began on Friday night and is ongoing, but the three-time All-Pro is doing due diligence as a first-time free agent, it appears.

Josina Anderson of ESPN.com, however, tweets Sherman told her he and the Lions have not slotted a date for this summit yet.

It’s unclear if Sherman is planning to examine the market through a wide lens or if he would be open to completing a deal after one of his early stops. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported the 49ers could end up being Sherman’s only visit, but preliminary interest has come Sherman’s way from the Titans, Raiders, Texans, Buccaneers and Packers thus far.

Acting as his own agent, Sherman appeared in indicate he’d like to survey the market.

“This will be an ongoing process and I am excited to take on this challenge,” the 29-year-old corner wrote (on Twitter). “To the fans urging me to join your team, I am humbled but I can only look at the teams that have reached out.”

The Lions have an entrenched CB1 in Darius Slay, a 2017 All-Pro, but have a need opposite the recently extended talent. Sherman, who will turn 30 later this month, landed on the All-Pro team from 2012-14.

Holding around $27MM in cap space, the Lions are well behind the 49ers ($70MM-plus) in this running. But this could develop into more than a two-team race for a strong candidate to land on the 2010s’ all-decade team.

49ers To Meet With Richard Sherman

March 10th, 2018 at 8:38am CST by Ben Levine

Could Richard Sherman be joining another NFC West team? It sounds like he’s at least considering the idea, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that the veteran cornerback is set to meet with 49ers officials today.

San Francisco wants to confirm that Sherman is recovering from his Achilles injuries, and if everything goes well, the two sides will “try to get a contract done.” In another tweet, Schefter says there’s a good chance that this is Sherman’s only visit. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport says (via Twitter) Sherman’s apparent interest in the 49ers makes sense. The cornerback has “a strong affinity for the West Coast,” and he’s already familiar with defensive coordinator Robert Saleh‘s scheme.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Josina Anderson reports (via Twitter) that Sherman has received “preliminary interest” from a list of additional teams: the Lions, Titans, Raiders, Texans, Buccaneers, and Packers.

Sherman’s seven-year tenure with the Seahawks came to an end yesterday, as the team released the defensive back with a failed physical designation. The veteran is still rehabbing from surgery to fix a torn Achilles and remove a bone spur, but he expects to be ready by June. The three-time First-Team All-Pro was relatively productive in nine games last season, compiling 35 tackles, two interceptions, and seven passes defended.

Sherman Released With Failed Physical Designation

March 9th, 2018 at 6:56pm CST by Micah Powell

On Friday, the Seahawks officially released Richard Sherman. The team added a failed physical designation upon his release, allowing the cornerback to be eligible for a $1.15 MM injury guarantee if he never plays again, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

The likelihood of that coming to fruition is not high, as Sherman seems intent on playing in 2018. On Nov. 9, 2017, the star cornerback ruptured his Achilles vs. Arizona, but he claims he is just months away from returning to full health.

In a letter to the Seahawks, Sherman thanked the organization, teammates and fans, and penned, “As this chapter comes to a close I am looking forward to what the future holds.”

Though he issued a heartfelt letter to the organization and is reportedly interested in joining the Patriots, the cornerback did not close the door on a return to Seattle.

“They are gonna let me explore free agency with the hope that I can return,” Sherman told ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (on Twitter). “They just wanted the financial flexibility.”

With the release of the four-time Pro Bowler and three-time First Team All-Pro selection, the Seahawks saved $11 MM against the salary cap.

Seahawks Release CB Richard Sherman

March 9th, 2018 at 3:20pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks have officially released cornerback Richard Sherman. Sherman will be free to explore free agency and his seven-year run with the Seahawks may come to an end.

Interestingly, Sherman says that the door to a return is not completely closed.

“They are gonna let me explore free agency with the hope that I can return,” Sherman told ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (on Twitter). “They just wanted the financial flexibility.”

By cutting Sherman, the Seahawks will save $11MM for the coming year. He stands as one of the best free agents cornerbacks available, along with Trumaine Johnson and Malcolm Butler.

Sherman’s offseason departure from Seattle has been a rumored possibility for months, though the Seahawks probably tried to talk Sherman into taking a pay cut. Since Sherman should be able to come close to his $11MM salary in free agency, a substantial pay cut didn’t make much sense for him. The Seahawks also dangled Sherman in trade talks, but they apparently did not find a deal to their liking. There was also a question of whether Sherman would actually be able to be traded before passing a physical.

Given that Sherman should still find a competitive market for his services, it’s hard to envision him re-signing with the Seahawks. In order for that to happen, Sherman would probably have to give Seattle some degree of a hometown discount.

Sherman is still rehabbing from surgery to fix a torn Achilles as well as a minor surgery to remove a bone spur. By his own estimation, he expects to be able to resume training by June. His medical issues may limit his market somewhat, but teams will still line up to try and sign one of the league’s most impactful cornerbacks.

Sherman has three First-Team All-Pro selections and four Pro Bowl nods to his credit and was a driving force behind the Seahawks’ Super Bowl victory to cap the 2013 season. The cornerback is in a rare class of athletes for Seattle fans and his release is sure to upset many. Ultimately, cutting Sherman was not something the Seahawks wanted to do, but something they basically had to do in order to address other needs for the upcoming season. Heading into this week, the Seahawks were in the bottom third of the league in cap space and trailed every other team in the NFC West in flexibility. Between the trades of Michael Bennett and the release of Sherman, they have a bit more room to work with.

We heard last week that Sherman would be receptive to joining the Patriots, so that’s a team to watch as he explores the market.

Latest On Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas

March 8th, 2018 at 8:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Seahawks could be ready to abandon a Richard Sherman trade attempt soon. Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets Sherman is likely to be released Friday.

Sherman’s been a subject of departure rumors throughout the offseason, and this week has been wishing teammates farewell following a meeting with team brass. It’s been suggested Sherman could opt to return to Seattle at a lower price, but Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap noted that wouldn’t make much sense on a market that could see the high-profile cap casualty command $11MM per year.

If the Seahawks were to cut Sherman, they would save $11MM. The decorated corner will turn 30 later this month and is coming off a torn Achilles’ tendon, but he still figures to have a competitive market if he becomes available. He’d join the likes of Trumaine Johnson and Malcolm Butler as high-end free agent corners.

As for Earl Thomas, the Seahawks do not seem prepared to move on from him, after all.

Some trepidation about committing to another deal with the top-tier safety existed on the team’s part after Thomas’ comments about the Cowboys, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link) the team has since found out Thomas is committed to the team.

This comes after Thomas made multiple comments about a potential holdout. He’s entering the final year of his second Seahawks contract and after surmounting a broken leg would appear set to sign another top-market deal.

While Seattle would be willing to take “whatever it can get for” Sherman, it’s set a high price on Thomas. And Rapoport estimates the three-time All-Pro safety will be back in the Pacific Northwest next season and beyond.

Beyond would involve a high-end extension, which would be interesting given the purge that’s happening this week and the uncertain futures around some of the Seahawks’ other Super Bowl core members dealing with serious injuries. But Thomas will only be 29 in 2018 and would seemingly have plenty of quality seasons left.

Seahawks Set High Price For Earl Thomas

March 8th, 2018 at 3:46pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks don’t view Earl Thomas as untouchable, but any team looking to acquire him will have to give up a lot of draft capital, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com hears (video link). Garafolo likens the Seahawks’ view on Thomas to the team’s stance on Richard Sherman trade talk in 2017. The team did not shoo away suitors, but instead asked for a first- and third-round pick for him. Ultimately, no one met that asking price.

The same can’t be said for Sherman in 2018. The Seahawks are willing to move the cornerback and, at this juncture, they’ll take “whatever they can get for him,” Garafolo hears. While Sherman still performed reasonably well in his injury-shortened season, teams are not eager to pick up his $11MM contract. If the Seahawks cannot find a suitable trade and Sherman does not agree to a pay cut, it seems likely that he’ll be released outright. Other teams are well aware of that and, therefore, are willing to wait things out and see if they can instead sign Sherman as a free agent. Sherman’s health status is also a barrier to a potential trade.

Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times first reported that the Seahawks are seeking a first-round pick in addition to a mid-round selection for Thomas. The safety is set to carry a $10.4MM charge this season and may look for a deal worth $13MM per year beyond his current contract.

Latest On Richard Sherman, Seahawks

March 7th, 2018 at 6:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Seahawks are likely to explore a trade of cornerback Richard Sherman after meeting with him earlier today, but it sounds as through other options on the table, as well, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Seattle is also open to releasing Sherman or retaining him at a salary lower than his scheduled $11MM.

Furthermore, the Seahawks could opt to cut Sherman and then re-sign him at a cheaper rate, adds Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). That would allow Sherman to gauge his market before potentially accepting a reduced salary to return to the only team he’s ever known. As Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap opines (via Twitter), it may not make much sense for Sherman to take a pay cut, as he could likely match his $11MM salary on the open market.

As recently as last week, Rapoport indicated Sherman wouldn’t be able to be traded any time soon given that he currently can’t pass a physical, and it’s unclear if Sherman’s health status has changed in that brief time. But the Seahawks have been down this road before, as they dangled Sherman in 2017. Seattle ultimately dropped its asking price for Sherman to a first-round and a mid-round selection, but no deal was ever made

Sherman, who will turn 30 years old later this month, appeared in nine games last season before going down with a torn Achilles. Prior to that injury, however, Sherman was still playing like a top-end cornerback, and graded as the league’s No. 33 CB among 121 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Additionally, he ranked 16th in Football Outsiders‘ yards per pass allowed and 17th in success rate.

Richard Sherman, Seahawks Discuss Future

March 7th, 2018 at 1:10pm CST by Zachary Links

Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman has been the subject of trade speculation this offseason. We may soon get a sense of what is in store for him. Sherman is scheduled to meet with coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider to discuss his future, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter).

This “meeting” may not take place in person, however. Pelissero reports that the two sides will meet on Wednesday, but ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link) hears that Sherman is in transit to NFLPA meetings in Las Vegas, which begin on Thursday. Any talks regarding Sherman’s future will take place while the veteran is in Vegas, according to Schefter.

Sherman has been wishing teammates farewell over the past 24 hours, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter), though nothing has been set in stone yet. Jeremy Lane seemed to hint at receiving a goodbye text from Sherman on Twitter, but No. 25 told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that he’s “not sure what that’s about.”

In any case, it’s clear that Sherman’s Seattle future is in flux. The Seahawks can save $11MM by parting ways with Sherman, but he’d have to gain medically clearance before being traded. Sherman says that he should be back on the field by June after having surgeries to fix his Achilles as well as a bone spur (Twitter link via Pelissero). With free agency just around the corner, an outright release cannot be ruled out for one of the league’s most prominent corners.

Sherman ranked as the 33rd-best CB in the league in 2017 this year, per Pro Football Focus. His 82.7 overall score was solid, but it is also a career-low for him. His ruptured Achilles tendon in November is also a concern and the Seahawks might not be able to justify keeping him at his current cost. A pay cut would make some sense here, but one has to wonder if Sherman’s pride would be a barrier.

Hawks Notes: Thomas, Bennett, Richardson

March 2nd, 2018 at 7:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2011, the Seahawks have some decisions to make regarding key members of their veteran core. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports anticipates two members of the Earl Thomas/Richard Sherman/Michael Bennett trio being traded. John Schneider said the team will be “open to listening to anything” this offseason. Here’s the latest on trades and other matters from Seattle:

The Seahawks are shopping Bennett at the Combine, and La Canfora estimates the team will take a draft choice for Bennett and look to add a free agent to replace him up front. Interestingly, JLC places the other high-profile former Jets defensive end, Muhammad Wilkerson, as a Seahawks candidate. Bennett has three years and more than $26MM remaining on his contract, and considering a market light on edge talent, he should be able to fetch the Seahawks a Day 3 pick despite his age (32) and salary.
However, Seattle will demand value for Thomas. La Canfora expects the soon-to-be 29-year-old safety to be worth multiple Day 2 picks and anticipates the Seahawks moving him. Thomas has made multiple comments about a holdout this winter. He and Eric Berry are the only active safeties to have three first-team All-Pro honors on their resumes, and Thomas figures to have several years of productivity left. He was the last member of the Legion of Boom standing, returning from a broken leg to play in 14 games, after Sherman and Kam Chancellor went down with severe injuries. One season and $10.4MM remains on Thomas’ second Seahawks contract. It’s logical Thomas, whose 2014 Seahawks extension represented the salary standard at safety for many months, will expect a third deal on the Berry tier. The Chiefs All-Pro earns a safety-high $13MM per year.
Sherman’s injury makes him the most logical choice to stay in Seattle and mentor the next wave of DBs, La Canfora writes. One year and $13.2MM remains on the 29-year-old cornerback’s contract.
A recent report indicated the Seahawks weren’t likely to use their franchise tag on Sheldon Richardson by Tuesday’s deadline, and Schneider confirmed as such. “Not at this point. We have time, but we have more people that we have to talk to this weekend,” Schneider said, via Brady Henderson of ESPN.com. “We’re not done with all our meetings.” Tagging the 27-year-old interior defender would cost Seattle $14.2MM, and that wouldn’t seem to fit in an offseason in which the team is trying to shed veteran expenses.
Several factors point to the Falcons inquiring on Bennett, with Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com noting that in addition to the defender’s relationship with Dan Quinn he shares an agent with Atlanta GM Thomas Dimitroff. Falcons DC Marquand Manuel was also a Seahawks assistant during part of Bennett’s Seattle tenure. Although McClure said the Falcons’ ideal scenario would be to add Bennett as a free agent, he expects Dimitroff to inquire about what it will cost to make a deal with the Seahawks. He would be a threat to line up inside on passing downs to help bolster the Falcons’ interior pass rush. “I think he’s a mismatch on the guards. I think he has a couple good years left,” an NFC coach told McClure. “I think he still has some juice. And he has that relationship with [Quinn].”

West Notes: Sherman, Chiefs, Raiders, 49ers

March 1st, 2018 at 9:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Seahawks dangled cornerback Richard Sherman in trade talks at this time a year ago, but given that he’s currently unable to pass a physical after undergoing another procedure on his torn Achilles, Sherman won’t be dealt any time soon, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). Injured players can’t be traded, and Sherman likely won’t be healthy until training camp. In 2017, Seattle ultimately dropped its asking price for Sherman to a first-round and a mid-round selection, but no deal was ever made. While Sherman may not hit the trade market any time soon, the Seahawks are reportedly shopping veteran defensive lineman Michael Bennett.

The Chiefs will retain edge rusher Dee Ford on his 2018 fifth-year option, but given that he’s still recovering from a back injury, they likely didn’t have a choice, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Fifth-year options are guaranteed for injury only, so Ford — like Blake Bortles in Jacksonville — would have earned his money whether he was on Kansas City’s roster or not, provided he couldn’t pass a physical before the new league year begins on March 14. Ford, 26, only managed to appear in six games last season, but he managed 10 sacks as recently as 2016. He’ll earn an $8.718MM base salary for the upcoming year.
Marshawn Lynch is not a lock to make the Raiders‘ 2018 roster, and for what it’s worth, the veteran running back reportedly became a “problem” for Oakland’s previous coaching staff in 2017, reports Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link). Lynch, who got better from an on-field perspective as last season progressed, is scheduled to earn a $4MM base salary next year, and also has a $1MM roster bonus due by March 3, so the Raiders will likely decide on his future with the club by the weekend.
After blocking him from an interview with the Titans earlier this year, the 49ers have promoted DeMeco Ryans from defensive quality coach to inside linebackers coach, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link). Ryans, who enjoyed a decade-long playing career, is well-respected in NFL circles, and 49ers DC Robert Saleh recently claimed Ryans will someday become a head coach. Additionally, San Francisco announced that it has promoted Keena Turner to vice President and senior advisor to the general manager and promoted Ethan Waugh to college scouting director.