Richard Sherman inks his new deal, will face Seahawks twice
After being released by the Seahawks on Friday, three-time All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman has a new home just down the coast.
Sherman inked a three-year, $39 million deal with the NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers on Saturday.
“I’m thankful to John [Lynch, 49ers GM] and Kyle [Shanahan, 49ers coach] for believing in me,” Sherman told ESPN’s Josina Anderson. “Some smaller details still getting ironed out, but #ShermInTheBay.”
An example of how simple decisions this week affect players, teams and futures.
Aqib Talib rejected a trade that was agreed to between Denver and SF; wouldn’t report. He later is traded to LA.
So SF doesn’t get its CB, Richard Sherman is released and he winds up in SF.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2018
Entering the final year of a four-year, $56 million contract, Sherman knew the Seahawks were going to release him as they embark on a rebuild of perhaps the most dominant defensive unit of the decade.
Sherman was the centerpiece of the “Legion of Boom,” Seattle’s feared defensive backfield that also included safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas, among others. He was named first team All-Pro three times.
Last season, the Seahawks defense started to show its age. It didn’t help that the unit was ravaged by injuries.
Thank you to everyone for the kind words. This is just another chapter in the journey. This will be an ongoing process and I am excited to take on this challenge. To the fans urging me to join your team, I am humbled but I can only look at the teams that have reached out.
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) March 10, 2018
Sherman was one of those players who suffered an injury, rupturing his Achilles in November and missing the final seven games of the season.
Last week, the Seahawks traded defensive end Michael Bennett to the Super Bowl champion Eagles for a fifth-round draft pick and receiver Marcus Johnson.
The 49ers wanted to make sure that Sherman, who will be 30 on March 30, was on the mend before signing him. Sherman convinced them that the Achilles is healing and that he will be ready for training camp, reported ESPN.
The Seahawks could have traded Sherman, but elected instead to release him — either to do right by him and let him choose his new destination, or in hopes of re-signing him for less money.
There were reports that Sherman was hoping to land with the Patriots, but New England was not listed among the teams that expressed interest in him.
Patriots Never Reached Out To Richard Sherman https://t.co/ZQdidcL5Mk pic.twitter.com/zGKsLa4OxS
— Pro Football Rumors (@pfrumors) March 11, 2018
ESPN reported that along with the 49ers, the Titans, Lions, Packers, Buccaneers, Texans and Raiders all pursued Sherman.
Now he’ll return to the Bay Area, where he played his college ball at Stanford.
It’s a huge win for the 49ers, who will definitely be a team to watch in 2018. Last November, San Francisco landed its franchise quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo from the Patriots for just a second-round pick. Garoppolo went on to win all five of his starts.
And now the 49ers add, when healthy, one of the best cornerbacks in the game to anchor an improving young defense.
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