The Seattle Seahawks are parting with former All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman this offseason, meaning one of the NFL's biggest stars will be playing for a new team next season. Seattle tried to trade Sherman, who is recovering from a ruptured Achilles he suffered in Seattle's win over the Cardinals on Nov. 9, last offseason, but are parting with him for good since he is coming off a major injury and set to make $13.2 million in 2018.
Which teams will be the most interested in acquiring him? Here are his most likely destinations:
Honorable Mention: Dallas Cowboys
We all know how much Jerry Jones likes to make a publicity splash and adding Sherman would certainly be that. That said, the Cowboys already don't have a lot of cap space and have a good number of talented young corners. They do have a strong connection to him with former Seahawks defensive coordinator Kris Richard now serving as Dallas' defensive backs coach, but I think we'll see them use their cap space elsewhere.
5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Vernon Hargreaves is the only thing Tampa has resembling a long-term answer at cornerback, and while Sherman isn't a guy who will play there forever, he'd be a major upgrade and provide veteran leadership for a team with playoff aspirations. Plus, they have cap space.
4) San Francisco 49ers
Given San Francisco's lack of depth at the position, they need to find players they can rely on in the back end of the defense - starting with a lockdown No. 1 cornerback. It remains to be seen how Sherman rebounds from the Achilles injury, but prior to it, he was still one of the elite corners in the sport. With a good deal of cap space and a need at the position, don't be shocked to see the 49ers explore this avenue.
3) Cleveland Browns
If Sherman is simply looking to get paid, he'll end up in Cleveland. The Browns have well over $100 million in cap space, need corner help, and need veteran leadership. Overpaying for Sherman won't hinder them because of all that cap space and he could be a leader for their young defense.
2) New England Patriots
The Patriots were linked to Sherman last offseason if they lost Malcolm Butler, but they didn't and didn't want to meet Seattle's asking price for Sherman. However, with Butler out of their future plans and Sherman's value diminished, it's the kind of veteran bargain that New England loves. They're also considering acquiring Aqib Talib should the opportunity present itself this offseason which is why they're only No. 2 on this list.
1) Oakland Raiders
Oakland was linked to Sherman last offseason and will likely be again due to their need at the position. The Raiders already cut David Amerson (who is now with the Chiefs) and are expected to cut Sean Smith as well. This is a group that wants to win a Super Bowl under new head coach Jon Gruden, which - coupled with the desire to add star power before their move to Las Vegas - could cause them to gamble on Sherman.
Stick with us in the Chat Sports app or follow NFL by Chat Sports on Facebook to be the 1st to know every breaking story and all the rumors on the NFL!
Back to the NFL Newsfeed