Richard Sherman Doesn’t Expect To Sign Until After Draft

Free-agent CB Richard Sherman remains one of the top cornerback options available despite his age. However, that appears to be what’s keeping him from finding a team. 

“Well, apparently we got to wait ’til the draft happens before anything else shakes out, because everybody has their hopes and dreams in the draft, which is understandable,” Sherman said on the Chris Collinsworth podcast via Matt Maiocco.

Sherman serves as his own agent, so he’s been in direct contact with interested teams. He says his age has been a factor, as teams appear to be viewing him as a backup plan if they still need cornerback help after the draft at the end of April. 

“You turn 33, and then it’s like, ‘We’ll wait until we get a young pup; and if we can’t get a young pup, we’ll take an old fool.’ So that’s where we’re sitting,” he said. 

There hasn’t been a ton of buzz surrounding Sherman so far. The Saints were linked to him early in free agency and Sherman said a couple weeks ago he wouldn’t rule out a return to the Seahawks. 

Sherman had previously told ESPN that he plans to play until he is 35, and doesn’t rule out a potential switch to safety at the end of his career.

Sherman, 33, is a former fifth-round pick of the Seahawks back in 2011. He was entering the final of his five-year, $58.789 million contract when the Seahawks released him during the 2018 offseason.

The 49ers signed him to a three-year, $39.15 million contract. He’s in the final year of the deal and is set to earn a base salary of $8,000,000 this season. 

In 2020, Sherman appeared in five games for the 49ers and recorded 18 tackles, one interception, and a pass defense. 

We have him included in our Top 100 – 2021 NFL Free Agents list.