49ers, Seahawks among betting favorites to sign Richard Sherman

Five-time Pro Bowl and three-time first-team All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman remains unsigned after spending his last three seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and his previous seven with the Seattle Seahawks. Those two teams remain among the favorites, along with the Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints, to sign Sherman, per Bovada and as shared by Odds Shark.

An NFL team may have been waiting until after June 1 to seriously consider signing Sherman. That way, he doesn't factor into the calculations for compensatory draft picks. Or teams could be waiting until there is more of a need for Sherman's services due to an injury. The cornerback initially expected to be signed by now, but the market for his services wasn't as hot as anticipated. He sounded unsure anything would happen before training camps begin.

49ers general manager John Lynch said in April that the team hadn't had contract discussions with Sherman, other than some occasional texts.

"We haven't really been in communication," Lynch said. "We do text from time to time. Nothing about football. Like I said, as long as he wants to play -- I think Sherm's being patient and kind of waiting it out for the right situation, and we'll see where that goes."

That was before a report surfaced from Chris Biderman of the Sacramento Bee stating that there had been some "preliminary discussions" surrounding a reunion between Sherman and the 49ers.

Added Biderman: "A signing is not imminent, but discussions could accelerate in the coming weeks."

Sherman has expressed enthusiasm about the possibility of rejoining San Francisco after seemingly declaring toward the end of last season that he did not expect to return.

"There's always a chance it could end up working back in the Bay, and I head back that way," Sherman said on ESPN's First Take. "That's another place I'm really comfortable going. Obviously, I know the staff, know the team well. Just spent time there and would be ecstatic if something happened there."

The cornerback also did not rule out a return to the team that drafted him — the Seahawks.