Richard Sherman didn't waste any time finding a new home after he was released by the Seattle Seahawks on Friday.The four-time Pro Bowler has agreed to a three-year contract worth $39 million with the San Francisco 49ers, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. The deal also includes a $5 million signing bonus and Sherman can make even more with incentives.
Sherman, who ruptured his Achilles in Week 10 last season, had spent his entire seven-year with the Seahawks, and now joins one of his former team's greatest rivals.
"I'm excited," Sherman said about joining the 49ers in a text to NFL Network's Steve Wyche. "A lot of HOF DBs have gone through this incredible organization and I am looking to uphold that standard."
Sherman's decision to sign with San Francisco sent shockwaves across the NFL, leaving many players and fans wondering why he'd decide to stay in the division and play for a rival club.
The star cornerback was the heart and soul of Seattle's hard-hitting secondary, nicknamed "The Legion of Boom", helping the franchise record its lone Super Bowl championship in 2013. Seattle led the NFL in scoring defense from 2012-15, with Sherman shutting down the opposition's top receivers. He was named to four consecutive Pro Bowls from 2013-16, three straight first-team All-Pro selections from 2012-2014, and led the NFL in interceptions during the 2013 season.
The 49ers had a desperate need at cornerback with 2017 third-round pick Ahkello Witherspoon and slot cornerback K’Waun Williams the only players under contract with experience. The move also reunites Sherman with a familiar face, Robert Saleh. A former defensive assistant with the Seahawks, Saleh is now the defensive coordinator with the Niners, and should know exactly how to utilize Sherman's skill set moving forward.
"I want to go to a contender," Sherman said after learning of his release. "I play at [a] high level. I've always been a guy that can work well with others and continue to elevate if my teammates elevate and elevate others. In Seattle, we had a lot of guys playing at a high level regardless. ... We had to fit in like puzzle pieces and play off each other. We all did that very well, and that's why we had the success we had.
"Would I go to a young secondary that is like we were when we were younger and help them grow and help them advance? Sure, if the number looks right and the situation is comfortable for me and my family."
The 49ers finished dead last in the NFC West with a 6-10 record last season, but there's reason for optimism after the team rattled off five consecutive victories to close out the campaign.