Richard Sherman is back in the league after spending the last three seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and the last six months as a free agent. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed him to a one-year deal reportedly worth $2.25 million.
Why didn't the 49ers make a stronger push to reunite with the veteran cornerback? The team, after all, has suffered some injuries at the position. Jason Verrett is out for the season due to a torn ACL. Josh Norman suffered a lung contusion this past weekend against the Green Bay Packers. K'Waun Williams, one of the best slot corners in the league, will miss several weeks due to a calf injury.
"John's been in touch with [Sherman] a ton," head coach Kyle Shanahan said before today's practice. "I haven't talked to him for a couple of weeks, but it's the same as John talking to him, and he was in touch with him the whole time. We were hoping he was going to be there for a while, so when it made sense for both of us, we could do it. But we lost that opportunity because Tampa came through, and it just wasn't the right timing for us."
Was there a worry surrounding Sherman's potential role on the 49ers defense? After spitting up blood and staying overnight at a hospital, Shanahan insists there is a chance Norman will play this weekend against the Seattle Seahawks. Emmanuel Moseley returned this past weekend after being inactive for the first two games.
Sherman knows the 49ers defense very well. How long would he have needed to get ready to contribute?
"I think he needs a couple of weeks to get ready. At least a week," Shanahan said. "There's contract things that go into it also, that play on everything. That's about as much as I'll say about it, but we would love to have Richard here. But it makes sense why he went to Tampa."
Today, the 49ers announced the signing of cornerback Buster Skrine. A couple of weeks ago, the team added Dre Kirkpatrick. While Shanahan would have loved to bring Sherman back, some things held the 49ers back from doing so right now.
Why did the other signings make more sense?
"I think it was more the timing when we did it," Shanahan said. "At first, we weren't sure when we were bringing them in whether they were going to start, whether they were going to be backups, whether they were even going to dress, knowing they would have to help on special teams, stuff like that.
"We didn't think that was the time for Sherm with [him having] been here and stuff. I know he's been the starter. We weren't going to bring him in [if we didn't] know exactly what his role was. And then this week, I just think he had a better opportunity at Tampa.
"Some of the injuries we've had and stuff, we need outside and inside guys. Still would have loved to have Sherm, but the situation at Tampa was a little bit better for him, I think, or what he decided."