Sherman didn’t ask for trade
Richard Sherman said yesterday he never asked for a trade from the Seattle Seahawks, but understood why the only team he’s ever played for was listening to offers for his services. “It’s just a conversation they have every year. I guess this year, more people knew about it,” Sherman said. “It’s a conversation they have every year — everybody’s open, everybody’s available. They just made sure I knew, and you guys found out. Pretty open about it. It was never a situation where anybody asked for it. It was just a conversation.”
In his first news conference since the end of last season, Sherman addressed a variety of issues, from the trade rumors that hung over Seattle’s offseason to a report that indicated he was at the center of locker room discontent stemming from the Super Bowl loss to the Patriots, to his conduct during parts of a tumultuous 2016 season.
For now, Sherman seems to have repaired any rifts that lingered from the talk of a possible trade, his conduct at times last year or the ESPN report which also questioned his relationship with quarterback Russell Wilson. Teammates Bobby Wagner, Doug Baldwin and Michael Bennett stood by as Sherman took questions for nearly 20 minutes after Seattle wrapped up the second of its minicamp practices.
Garrett injury scare
No. 1 overall draft pick Myles Garrett sustained an injury to his left foot late in practice while rushing quarterback Brock Osweiler during a twominute drill. The severity of the injury is not yet known, and the Cleveland Browns are hoping it’s not serious.
Garrett, who missed time earlier this spring with an unspecified injury, appeared to go down without any contact. He stayed on the ground for nearly a minute as Browns players and coaches looked on with concern.
Garrett was checked by a trainer and coach Hue Jackson, who helped Garrett to his feet before the rookie defensive end hobbled to the sideline.
Hall reworks deal
The Washington Redskins have restructured the contract of their longest-tenured player, DeAngelo Hall.
Hall said he agreed to a pay cut in the hopes of remaining on the roster after missing most of last season with a torn ACL in his right knee.
Meanwhile, agent Hadley Engelhard said that running back Matt Jones’ camp “asked very politely” for him to be released because “he has no future there.” Jones skipped recent voluntary offseason workouts and showed up for mandatory minicamp this week.
Steelers sign top pick
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed first-round pick T.J. Watt to a four-year contract.
Watt, a linebacker from Wisconsin and the younger brother of Houston Texans star J.J. Watt, was taken with the 30th overall pick in the draft. He is the last of Pittsburgh’s eight draft picks to sign. Financial details were not released. . . .
The Denver Broncos signed six-year veteran cornerback Chris Lewis-Harris and waived cornerback Taurean Nixon 24 hours after his pick-6 of Paxton Lynch at the team’s mandatory minicamp.
Lewis-Harris spent four full seasons with Cincinnati before splitting last season between the Bengals and Baltimore Ravens.