Richard Sherman Says He's Talked to 49ers, Seahawks, Saints and Raiders

Five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman said Friday his free-agent process has been on "pause" while he waits for teams to finish the 2021 NFL draft.

Sherman told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith a return to the San Francisco 49ers "isn't out of the cards" and confirmed he's also been in contact with the Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks during the offseason.

The 33-year-old Stanford product, who was limited to five games last season with the Niners because of a calf strain that landed him on injured reserve, explained many teams operate under the assumption of "Father Time is undefeated" and would rather try to fill a role on their roster via the draft.

Sherman recorded 18 total tackles, one interception and one pass defended across his five appearances in 2020. He received a solid, albeit unspectacular, 67.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.

He's not the game-changing No. 1 corner he was during his first stint with the Seahawks, when he helped headline the Legion of Boom secondary, but he's still playing at a level that would make him a reliable No. 2 corner if he can stay healthy.

The three-time first-team All-Pro previously told Smith in February the goal was to play through the 2022 season and hopefully be able to compete for another championship with a contender.

"I only want to play two more [seasons]," Sherman said. "I want to get on a competitive team. I think I still have a lot to give to the game. I think I still have a lot that I want to accomplish, and I think I can go out there and help a defense come together like it should and reach their potential, reach the heights that the defenses that I've played on have reached."

Sherman won Super Bowl XLVIII as a member of the Seahawks at the end of the 2013 campaign.

In all, the California native has compiled 483 tackles, 115 passes defended, 36 interceptions, five forced fumbles and three touchdowns across a 10-year NFL career.

The draft wraps up Saturday—coverage begins at 12 p.m. ET on the B/R App, Twitter and YouTube—and the interest in Sherman should pick up once teams get a better feel for the secondary depth chart afterward.