Sherman expects this to be his last year with the 49ers
How Richard Sherman fares tonight could be an excellent gauge for his 49ers’ future, especially when he matches up with Stefon Diggs, the Buffalo Bills’ leading receiver.
Sherman says it’s “not looking likely” he’ll be resigned by the 49ers.
Is this just posturing of a 32-year-old cornerback who represents himself or the hard and simple truth?
“That’s the sad, sad truth,” Sherman said in a Saturday night podcast with NBC Sports Bay Area. “It’s one of those years where it’s not from anybody’s fault that it may not work out. And it will be a sad parting because I’ve really enjoyed my time here.
“I’ve enjoyed this team. I have brothers on this team, and I think we still have work to do. But I don’t know that the circumstances will allow it.”
Sherman pointed to how the 49ers have over 40 pending free agents, as well as other players who merit a contact extension, such as linebacker Fred Warner, who Sherman singled out in the podcast.
Sherman went so far as to say it would be “miraculous” and “cool” if the 49ers re-sign him once his threeyear contract expires.
Working against that, beyond the 49ers’ quantity of free agents including Trent
Williams and Kyle Juszczyk, is a decreased payroll under the pandemic-impacted salary cap.
Also, there is the fact Sherman will be 33 next season, and he’s just returned from a nine-game absence caused by calf trouble; he left his Seattle Seahawks’ seven-year tenure with Achilles concerns. Perhaps Sherman, who’s proven an exemplary leader in a rebuild, heads off wherever defensive coordinator Robert Saleh lands a head-coaching role.
Coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have professed deep appreciation for having Sherman and a desire to retain him, but it’s not that simple, as Shanahan acknowledged last week.
“Now there’s lots of stuff that go into it at the end of the year and how we’re going to balance all this out and wait to figure out what the salary cap is and stuff with what happens,” Shanahan said Thursday. “But I know Sherm’s time here, he’s been everything we’ve hoped and more. And I really hope that these next whatever games we have left, I really hope that’s not the end of it.”
Sherman, in his interview Saturday with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, said: “I’ve enjoyed my time. I’ve loved every moment of it. And I wish we could continue it for a couple more years, but it’s not looking likely.”