The Seattle Seahawks released cornerback Richard Sherman on Friday night and according to Marcus Thompson of The Athletic, the San Francisco 49ers may already by trying to court the seven-year veteran.
"According to somebody who was at the restaurant, [Kyle] Shanahan dined with Sherman and his wife at Nick's Next Door restaurant in Los Gatos tonight," writes Thompson. "It seems the courting may have already begun."
While Sherman's injury has to be a concern, if the story is true, it may not be enough to scare off the 49ers. Is San Francisco a team he would be interested in joining?
"Looking for a great fit," Sherman told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. "A team that has a great quarterback. Looking for somewhere I will be comfortable."
The 49ers have their franchise quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo, who recently signed an NFL-record five-year deal worth up to $137.5 million. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh runs a defense similar to Seattle's so Sherman might find that "comfortable." Saleh was an assistant with the Seahawks from 2011 until 2013.
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Sherman, who turns 30-years-old later this month, is coming off of a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered during a Thursday night game against the Arizona Cardinals in November. Before the injury, the cornerback registered 35 combined tackles, seven passes defensed, and two interceptions in nine starts last season.
The division-rival Los Angeles Rams have been aggressively acquiring players via trades over the last couple of weeks. They will enter the 2018 season with a revamped secondary which includes cornerbacks Aqib Talib, who was acquired via a trade with the Denver Broncos, and Marcus Peters, who was acquired via a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Los Angeles also signed former Green Bay Packers cornerback Sam Shields, who sat out the 2017 season while recovering from concussions, on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Ahkello Witherspoon is the lone remaining starting cornerback for the 49ers. He started nine games as a rookie for San Francisco last season. Dontae Johnson, who is scheduled to become a free agent, is not expected to be re-signed.
Sherman, who played college football at Stanford, was a fifth-round draft pick by the Seahawks in 2011. He has been selected to four Pro Bowls and is a three-time first-team All-Pro.