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There hasn’t been much movement from the New Orleans Saints during free agency’s legal tampering period, but NFL Network’s report that they’ve shown interest in veteran cornerback Richard Sherman jumped onto the radar. The five-time Pro Bowler doesn’t just have one of his former coaches on New Orleans’ staff, in secondary coach Kris Richard; he’s got a big fan calling the shots in Sean Payton.
Back in 2014, after Sherman’s Seahawks defeated the 49ers to advance to Super Bowl XLVIII, Payton congratulated him on Twitter. And when Sherman visited the Mercedes-Benz Superdome with the 49ers for a pivotal regular season tilt in 2019, Payton gushed about the veteran.
“I think so you get everything with this player, along with between the ears,” Payton said on a pregame media conference call. “His instincts, his understanding of formations, leverage. He knows the defense cold. And his man-technique looks outstanding. I think his film has been extremely impressive. That back end group has been playing real well.”
Sherman was selected for the Pro Bowl that year, and earned enough votes for a spot on the Associated Press All-Pro second team. But a 2020 calf injury limited him to just five so-so game appearances, and now he’s a free agent before turning 33 on March 30.
That may not deter Payton and the Saints, though. They have a history of gambling with past-their-prime stars, ranging from Sherman’s one-time teammate Brandon Browner to Champ Bailey, Kurt Coleman, Adrian Peterson, and Olin Kreutz. Sherman wouldn’t be the first big name Payton targeted, though you have to hope he’d play better than his predecessors.
Still, it’s fair to wonder if Sherman would be the right addition to the Saints secondary. They need a starting cornerback after releasing Janoris Jenkins, but run more man coverage than the zone looks Sherman has played his best football in lately. Never really known for his speed, Sherman hasn’t had the wheels to compete with shiftier receivers. There are situations where he’d be a liability.
There’s an argument he could share valuable experience with young defensive backs like Marshon Lattimore and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, but is that worth paying him $9 million for a one-year rental? Sherman represents himself without the help of an agent, and earned that much annually on his last contract. He’ll have grounds to seek that kind of salary again, but the cash-strapped Saints might have to look elsewhere to invest.