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Richard Sherman Rumors: 49ers, CB Engaged in 'Preliminary' Talks; Seahawks Linked
May 6, 2021
Richard Sherman could return to one of the only two NFL teams he has ever known.
According to Chris Biderman of the Sacramento Bee, the free-agent cornerback had "preliminary" discussions with both the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks as he decides where he will ultimately sign.
"A signing is not imminent, but discussions could accelerate in the coming weeks," Biderman wrote.
Sherman started his career on the Seahawks after they selected him with a fifth-round pick in the 2011 NFL draft.
He played seven seasons with the team and became an integral part of the famed Legion of Boom secondary while winning a Super Bowl, reaching another, and making four Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams.
There was no doubt he was one of the best defensive players of his generation during his time with the Seahawks, and he joined the 49ers prior to the 2018 campaign.
While he played just five games in 2020 because of calf and Achilles issues, he was a Pro Bowler in 2019 and helped lead the team to a Super Bowl.
It is fair to assume the 33-year-old Sherman is past his prime at this stage of his career, and the 49ers brought back cornerbacks Jason Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley this offseason. They also drafted Michigan's Ambry Thomas and Oregon's Deommodore Lenoir, which seemed to further suggest they moved on from Sherman.
He even said himself in February he talked to head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch and figured he would not return.
"It's been made pretty clear," Sherman said at the time, per Biderman. "It was a good conversation, nothing crazy. Just a good conversation about where they are and where I am, and their plans. We were both very positive and as good as you can be in a situation like this."
He may come back to either the 49ers or Seahawks after all as a veteran leader who would provide a championship presence to the secondary while helping stabilize the pass defense until younger players are ready for larger roles.