Getty Richard Sherman is reportedly open to a reunion with the Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks could look to a familiar face to help improve their defense next season with Legion of Boom member Richard Sherman hitting free agency. The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar reported both Sherman and the Seahawks are open to a potential reunion.
“Assuming Seattle considers impending free agent Shaquill Griffin too pricey, the Seahawks are going to be in the market for a cornerback,” Dugar detailed. “Sherman, who turns 33 in March, is set to be a free agent and it’s my understanding neither the cornerback nor the team would be totally opposed to a reunion. One way to be sure: Call him and find out.”
Sherman was sidelined for the majority of the 2020 season with a calf injury. The cornerback started five games for the Niners notching an interception and 18 tackles last season.
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Wilson & Sherman Are on Good Terms
Russell Wilson 🤝 Richard Sherman
The ultimate respect.
Russell Wilson’s relationship with some members of the Legion of Boom appeared to be complicated. Wilson and Sherman exchanged jerseys after a November 2019 49ers-Seahawks matchup showing there is no animosity between the two players.
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll explained after the game that, “these guys are growing up” referring to their relationship. As Wilson’s frustration with the Seahawks appears to be at an all-time high, perhaps Sherman could help mediate the situation between the two parties.
“Good moment, really good moment,” Carroll told ESPN 710 Seattle in 2019, via USA Today. “These guys are growing up. They’ve arrived, they’re real legitimate factors in this league. To demonstrate that kind of character and class is really what you hope to see.”
During his time with the Seahawks, Sherman described his relationship with Wilson as professional. Sherman also had some uncomplimentary things to say about Pete Carroll’s coaching style after he signed with the Niners. We have seen the Seahawks patch things up with former players in the past as the team showed with Marshawn Lynch in 2019.
“We’re pros,” Sherman told ESPN in 2017. “We hang out from time to time. We get along. Everybody gets along,” Sherman told ESPN’s Josina Anderson. “But is my relationship with Russell the same as it is with Doug [Baldwin]? Or the same as it is with Bobby [Wagner]? No. But is his relationship with me the same as it is with Noe [Tyler Lockett] or [Justin] Britt? It’s just different dynamics. But as teammates, we’re phenomenal.”
The Athletic Projects the Seahawks Could Land Sherman with a 2-Year, $19 Million Deal
The @Seahawks brought back Richard Sherman’s Swat Heard Around the World 😂
The question is whether the Seahawks and Sherman can agree to financial terms that would appeal to the five-time Pro Bowl corner. The Seahawks face a big decision with Shaquill Griffin hitting free agency. Sherman has publicly stated he would like to play two more seasons and could be a backup option for Seattle if Griffin’s price is too high.
Dugar suggests the Seahawks could land Sherman with a two-year, $19 million contract in free agency. Here is how Dugar explains a hypothetical scenario where the Seahawks are reunited with Sherman.
“On defense, cornerback Richard Sherman receives that call I mentioned earlier this offseason,” Dugar speculated. “He accepts a two-year, $19 million deal with a $7 million signing bonus. He’ll carry an estimated $6.5 million cap hit in 2021. Assuming Quinton Dunbar is in better shape both mentally and physically – the armed robbery case impacted both last offseason – he gets a one-year, $2.75 million deal (with some per-game protections). This gives him a chance to compete with D.J. Reed and Tre Flowers for the right cornerback job. If he wins it, which I’d expect him to when healthy, Seattle has a starting-caliber right cornerback who is familiar with its system at a reasonable price. Sherman and Dunbar in this scenario would cost less than what it would take to retain Griffin.”
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