Former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman had dinner with San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan on Friday night, according to a report by Marcus Thompson of The Athletic. That visit will continue through Saturday.
"According to somebody who was at the restaurant, Shanahan dined with Sherman and his wife at Nick's Next Door restaurant in Los Gatos tonight," wrote Thompson on Friday. "It seems the courting may have already begun."
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Sherman will spend Saturday visiting with 49ers officials.
"The 49ers want to make sure Sherman is healing from his injuries and if both sides are pleased with the meeting, they will try to get a contract done, sources tell Schefter," reports ESPN.
Richard Sherman could be seeing Seattle twice a year:
Sherman is scheduled to meet today with 49ers' officials, sources tell ESPN. 49ers want to make sure Sherman healing from injuries, and if both sides pleased with meeting, they will try to get contract done, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2018
Sherman was released by the Seahawks with a failed physical designation on Friday.
Josina Anderson of ESPN adds that Sherman has received initial interest from the 49ers, Tennessee Titans, Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders, Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Green Bay Packers. San Francisco is his first visit.
I spoke to Richard Sherman last night, he told me after being informed of his release by the #Seattle Seahawks, he has received preliminary interest from the #49ers, #Titans, #Lions, #Raiders, #Texans, #Bucs and #Packers. https://t.co/QtAB9T3sOt
— Josina Anderson (@JosinaAnderson) March 10, 2018
"On Friday, Sherman told ESPN's Josina Anderson that he will be back running on the treadmill next week," writes ESPN.
The 49ers appear to be doing their due diligence concerning Sherman, who is coming off of a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered during a Thursday night game against the Arizona Cardinals in November.
RELATED 49ers' Kyle Shanahan has dinner with former Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, per report
"Now, the Achilles injury complicates things," Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee said on the "No Huddle Podcast" this week. "Although I did read today (Thursday), somebody in Seattle wrote that Sherman sort of scoffed at the notion that both of his Achilles heels needed repair in the offseason. He said that one of them was an Achilles. The other one was a bone spur issue on his heel. So it was in that vicinity but not having to do with the tendon. So that might ameliorate people's concerns a little bit."
Before his injury, Sherman, who has been selected to four Pro Bowls and is a three-time first-team All-Pro, registered 35 combined tackles, seven passes defensed, and two interceptions in nine starts last season. The seven-year veteran cornerback did not miss a game from 2012 through 2016.
"Looking for a great fit," Sherman told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network following his release. "A team that has a great quarterback. Looking for somewhere I will be comfortable."
A great quarterback? 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has won each of his seven career NFL starts, including the final five of last season with San Francisco. He earned a five-year, $137.5 million contract in February to remain with the 49ers.
Somewhere comfortable? 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh runs a defense similar to Seattle's. Saleh was an assistant with the Seahawks from 2011 until 2013.
Sherman, who played college football at Stanford, was a fifth-round draft pick by the Seahawks in 2011. He has registered 367 combined tackles, 32 interceptions, 99 passes defensed, a sack, and five forced fumbles over his career. During his seven seasons with Seattle, the Seahawks made the playoffs five times, appeared in two Super Bowls, and won Super Bowl XLVIII.
The 49ers attempted to work out a trade with the Denver Broncos for cornerback Aqib Talib, but could not get the deal done. Talib ended up with the division-rival Los Angeles Rams, where cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Sam Shields will join him.