Richard Sherman New England Patriots Rumors: Confirmed Interest For Seahawks CB
Richard Sherman-New England Patriots rumors are the last thing that Seattle Seahawks fans want to hear about. A Patriots trade for Sherman could certainly help the defending Super Bowl champions improve on defense, but the team might not have enough assets to make it worth the time of Seahawks general manager John Schneider. Confirmation that the Patriots’ front office made trade inquiries comes from NFL analyst Ian Rapoport, who states in a report that several teams contacted the Seahawks about the availability of Sherman.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll has not only confirmed that the team discussed Sherman with other franchises but that running back Marshawn Lynch came into the offices to talk about his future. Lynch is indeed contemplating a return to the NFL, possibly with the Oakland Raiders if his former team (Seahawks) can make that transition possible. It’s an interesting piece of news in what has already been a very busy season for the defending NFC West champions.
Regarding the Richard Sherman-New England Patriots rumors, no indication has been revealed about what general manager Bill Belichick was willing to offer the Seattle Seahawks. In the updated 2017 NFL draft order, the Patriots no longer have a first-round pick, as the team dealt it to the New Orleans Saints for receiver Brandin Cooks. The Patriots also traded their second-round selection to the Carolina Panthers, meaning any early-round draft pick included in a deal with the Seahawks would have to come from 2018 or beyond.
The good news within these Seattle Seahawks rumors, at least for fans of the team, is that Pete Carroll and John Schneider aren’t going to deal Sherman unless it brings back an impressive package of assets. That might need to include at least two first-round draft picks, which is why the Cleveland Browns keep getting mentioned as a possible destination for the Pro Bowl cornerback. Possible doesn’t mean likely, though, as the Seahawks would be in a bad position if the team dealt away one of the stars of its shutdown defense.
Richard Sherman’s contract is an expensive one, which would make it difficult for any team to acquire him. Sherman is scheduled to make a base salary of $11.431 million in 2017 but carries a cap hit of $13.631 million due to his signing bonus. For the 2018 NFL season, Sherman’s contract will pay him an additional $11 million, with a salary cap hit of $13.2 million for the Seahawks. He remains one of the highest paid Seahawks players and cornerbacks in the entire NFL, showing just how much the franchise has invested in keeping him around long-term.
On the surface, the Richard Sherman-New England Patriots trade rumors would make sense if the Seattle Seahawks were heading into a rebuilding phase. These are the types of NFL rumors that come up when a franchise is trying to re-start and needs to deal away its talented veterans. That’s not the case in Seattle, though, as the team continues to dominate the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, and Arizona Cardinals. Clearly the favorite to win the NFC West again in 2017, the front office won’t be looking to simply give away veterans to save money.
While there have been a lot of Seattle Seahawks rumors this offseason, including interest in signing Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles, and Eddie Lacy, it is very unlikely that the team is going to trade away its All-Pro cornerback. While there is confirmation of the NFL rumors that indicated Seattle was listening to offers on Sherman, this is a frequent practice of many teams around the league. The Richard Sherman-New England Patriots rumors aren’t going to go away either, as the stories could resurface during the next offseason if the Seahawks struggle in 2017.
[Featured Image by Norm Hall/Getty Images]
