It was known that veteran cornerback Richard Sherman would not be returning to the San Francisco 49ers in 2021, but he still hasn't selected a new NFL home. Don't expect him to be signing with a team in the coming weeks either, as he made it known recently that he will be waiting until after the 2021 NFL Draft to pick a new franchise.
During a taping of The Cris Collinsworth Podcast featuring Richard Sherman, the five-time Pro Bowler explained why it's best for him to wait since NFL teams are more excited about the incoming young talent at this point than the veterans left on the open market.
"Well, apparently we got to wait 'til the draft happens before anything else shakes out, because everybody has their hopes and dreams in the draft, which is understandable," Sherman said, via Matt Maiocco of NBCSportsBayArea.com. "You turn 33, and then it's like, 'We'll wait until we get a young pup; and if we can't get a young pup, we'll take an old fool.' So that's where we're sitting."
Sherman told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith that he wants to play two more years with a competitive team. The former Seattle Seahawks star played just five games for the 49ers in 2020 due to injury, and recorded 18 combined tackles, one pass defensed and one interception. Still, Sherman helped San Francisco make Super Bowl LIV in 2019 and earned Pro Bowl honors as the leader of the NFL's best secondary.
Sherman, who is now an "old fool" as he puts it, will have options after the dust settles from the NFL draft, and just because he said he will be looking at "competitive" teams does not mean he will only be considering the Kansas City Chiefs or the Green Bay Packers. CBS Sports' Jeff Kerr lists the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets and the Las Vegas Raiders as his top free agent landing spots for Sherman. Check out his breakdown of Sherman's offseason so far, here.
