Richard Sherman Plans To Play Two More Seasons

49ers impending free agent CB Richard Sherman told Nick Wagoner of ESPN that he plans to play at least two more seasons prior to retiring.

“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. After two years, I think I’m going to shut it down, regardless, because I’m sure I’ll still get calls, I’m sure people still want to see if I have interest. I think two more years and I’ll be content where I’m at.”

There has been speculation connecting Sherman and the Jets, given that they hired Robert Saleh as their new head coach. 

Then there were the comments made by Raiders’ HC Jon Gruden to Sherman on a podcast that Las Vegas may be interested in his services: “(We) are looking for an alpha presence in our secondary, somebody that could play this Hawk 3-press technique with the read step. If you’re available and interested, maybe you and I can get together at some point off air.”

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.

He had also said back in December that it would be a “miracle” for him to return to the 49ers in 2021.

“There are 40 free agents, they’ll probably have $30 million or less in cap (space) and they’ve got to bring back Trent [Williams], who costs over $20 million, and they have to pay Fred [Warner], who costs over $18 million a year. Anybody who knows the situation understands that,” Sherman said, via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. 

49ers’ HC Kyle Shanahan did ay that they would love to re-sign Sherman but San Francisco has a number of other free agents and limited cap space to work with — especially with the cap set to drop as low as $175 million in 2021. 

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.