It sounds like Richard Sherman has already mentally moved on from the San Francisco 49ers and is focused on becoming a free agent next month. Jon Gruden's recent tampering attempt and Las Vegas Raiders sales pitch piqued Sherman's interest.
"There's a conversation to be had, for sure," Sherman responded.
The Niners cornerback seems open to anything — maybe even the Cleveland Browns. This week, NBA guard CJ McCollum of the Portland Trailblazers, a Browns fan, campaigned for Sherman to consider a move to Cleveland.
Yoooo @RSherman_25 . Just want you to know. We would love to have you in The land with my squad @Browns . If you need recommendations on places to live or restaurants let me know🤝
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) February 5, 2021
Sherman sounded open to the possibility.
I appreciate you @CJMcCollum ! We will see how the process pans out in a month! But I hear you https://t.co/mudQL8W1Zp
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) February 5, 2021
Sherman, a five-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time All-Pro, will be 33 years old at the start of next season. He has spent the last three years with the 49ers after seven seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. The cornerback missed 11 games in 2020 due to injuries, including the final two of the season.
The Browns might be an interesting destination for Sherman. There is familiarity with defensive coordinator Joe Woods, who served as the 49ers' defensive backs coach in 2019.
"In terms of the position, you can never have enough corners," Browns general manager Andrew Berry said on January 20. "You really can't, especially in this defense. That is always an area that we will want to be deep going into the year. They are hard to find, but it is obviously an area that we want to continue to be deep."
As for the 49ers, Sherman has said that it would take a miracle for him to suit up in red and gold again. Not because of any discontent with the organization but because of the team's salary-cap situation and a surplus of impending free agents. Even recent discussions have left the veteran cornerback pessimistic about his chances of staying.
"Nothing's changed at all," Sherman recently told NBC Sports Bay Area. "The conversations continue to reaffirm that. It's not sad conversations or anything of that nature, both sides being really happy with how things turned out and, obviously, circumstances are tough, so both sides have to do what's best for them. But it's still a great relationship."