Report: Seahawks Plan to Release Richard Sherman Within Next Couple of Days
The Seahawks plan to release All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman within the next few days, Michael Silver of NFL.com reports.
It was reported earlier on Wednesday that Sherman was having meeting with team management to discuss his future in Seattle. This was in light of Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reporting that Sherman had been telling teammates he will not return this season.
In addition to planning on cutting Sherman, Silver also reports the Seahawks will be listening to trade offers for safety Earl Thomas. Silver adds that Seattle "will obviously be seeking a lot in return."
Also on Thursday it was reported that the Seahawks will trade three-time All-Pro defensive end Michael Bennett to the Eagles for a fifth-round pick and wide receiver Marcus Johnson. The team will also be replacing its offensive and defensive coordinators in 2018 as Ken Norton Jr. takes over the defense from Kris Richard and Brian Schottenheimer will now lead the offense instead of Darrell Bevell.
In total, Sherman, Bennett and Thomas have spent the last five seasons together in Seattle. Thomas was drafted by Seattle in the first round in 2010, Sherman was drafted in the fifth round in 2011 and Bennett joined the Seahawks in free agency in 2013. The three played major roles for the Seattle defense during their time there and helped the team win its first Super Bowl in their first year together when the Seahawks beat the Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII. Seattle went 9-7 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since Sherman's rookie year.
In his seven season in Seattle, Sherman was named a Pro Bowler four times and made the All-Pro team three times. He has 32 career interceptions and has started in 99 of the 105 games he has played. He had not missed a game in his career until last season when he missed the final seven games of the season after rupturing his Achilles in a Thursday night game against the Cardinals.
Sherman, 29, is set to have a $13.2 million cap hit this season from the four-year, $56 million contract he signed prior to the 2015 season. Gregg Bell of The News Tribune reports that Sherman does not want to restructure the last year of his deal and lower his $11 million base salary for 2018.
