Richard Sherman and 49ers engaged in discussions for possible return to team, source says
Free agent cornerback Richard Sherman and the 49ers have engaged in preliminary discussions about a possible return to San Francisco, a source told The Sacramento Bee on Thursday.
Sherman, 33, remains a free agent after spending the past three seasons with the 49ers after signing there in 2018. He’s also had conversations with the Seattle Seahawks, the source said.
A signing is not imminent, but discussions could accelerate in the coming weeks.
The likely Hall of Fame cornerback has dealt with calf and Achilles issues that led to him appearing in a career-low five games in 2020. Sherman in 2019 appeared in 15 games and was named to his fifth Pro Bowl while having a key role in the league’s top-ranked pass defense en route to the Super Bowl.
The 49ers at the start of free agency in March prioritized incumbent cornerbacks Jason Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley. Verrett, 29, signed for one year and $5.5 million while Moseley, a restricted free agent, re-signed for two years and roughly $9.4 million.
San Francisco added two cornerbacks in the draft, Ambry Thomas from Michigan in Round 3 and Oregon’s Deommodore Lenoir in Round 5. San Francisco also lost cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, a third-round pick in 2017, to the Seahawks on a one-year deal in free agency.
Sherman in February said he spoke with general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan after the 2020 season and indicated it was unlikely he would return to San Francisco after his three-year, $27.15 million deal ran out. Though things may have changed in the months since.
“It’s been made pretty clear (I won’t be back),” Sherman said in February during a phone conversation with The Bee. “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.”
Shanahan and Lynch were asked about Sherman following last week’s draft and said they were monitoring his situation.
“We love Sherm. He’s a friend. I’ve got as much respect for him as anyone I’ve ever coached,” Shanahan said. “Sherm’s in a good situation to where, Sherm’s a businessman. He’s going to find out the best opportunity for him. I know teams are going to want him. But when you’re in a situation like him at his age, which these guys do, and you have the credentials like he does, you sit back and you watch and you find the best opportunity for yourself.
“I know Sherm’s probably going to want to go to a contender just knowing him and how competitive he is. He’ll sit back and be smart and make the right decision for himself. But, when you’ve got a guy that you trust and care about and you also know how competitive he is, we will never rule him out.”
This story was originally published May 6, 2021 at 3:39 PM.
