Richard Sherman: I’m not going anywhere

San Francisco 49ers defensive back Richard Sherman watches from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

SANTA CLARA — Richard Sherman will decide when Richard Sherman will play.

The 49ers’ veteran cornerback confirmed Thursday his strained left calf will not fully heal this season, and he might miss more games. He missed last Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams, who have the second-ranked offense. Now, he seems ready to return next Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, who have the last-ranked offense.

“I’m pretty sure I’m playing this week,” Sherman said during his weekly Thursday press conference in the 49ers auditorium. “Next Thursday (night against the Oakland Raiders), that will be a question. I’m going to battle and try to hit both (games), but the body can only do what the body can do.”

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This article has 52 Comments

  1. If he plays against the Cardinals, he’ll probably take the Raiders game off. That means he should be ready for the Giants and OBJr.

  2. Was not a fan of the signing when it happened. A lot of people justified it by Sherman acting as a coach and a mentor to the young DBs. Ironically, Witherspoon is actually worse. Maybe that has to do with Dontae “throw my way” Johnson being on the other side.

    I guess the contract was “okay” and he’s been shut down since he’s been here, but ultimately, he makes no difference this year.

    Maybe next season he’ll payoff.

  3. Other than a usual Grant dig at a player, what does the opponents offensive ranking have to do with Sherman’s ability to suit up for a game? And no, I didn’t read the rest of the column, the teaser indicated it wasn’t worth the time.

  4. I have a ton of respect for every man that suits up in the NFL. It is a brutal sport that takes courage to play. Having said that, these Richard Sherman quotes reek of a guy who knows he’s at the end of his career and is simply maximizing his earnings. Maybe his personality is enough to impact the younger players in a positive way but I’m pretty sure the 49ers are paying him for his on-field performance. I’ve never been a Sherman fan and there’s nothing he’s done since he’s been with the 49ers to make me change that opinion.

    1. If he was intent on maximizing his earnings then he would not have signed that team-friendly incentive-laden contract with the Niners. He would have just signed one with more guaranteed money that Lions or the other team (whose name I forget) had offered (but with less incentive $$).

      1. How many opportunities do you think a 30 year old CB coming off an achilles injury had before he signed this contract? He may have signed a crappy contract but it wasn’t because he had other people offering him even crappier deals. Sherman bet he would make the pro bowl in 2018. If he makes it to the Pro Bowl this year then he gets $16M guaranteed over the next 2 years. It’s not unreasonable to think name recognition alone gets him to the Pro Bowl after 10 other guys drop out.

        1. How many opportunities do you think a 30 year old CB coming off an achilles injury had before he signed this contract?

          Hard to say since he signed with the 49ers fairly quick after the Seahawks released him.

    2. You pretty much wrote what I was thinking, H-Town. Sherman is a bright guy and knows how to talk. Also think that Grant was right when he said Sherman sat against the Rams to protect his interests.

        1. Sherman is the defensive equivalent of Shanahan.

          Fans and some media buy in to what they say even when what is actually happening on the field says something completely different.

          1. Oh here we go with the great conspiracy theory. You Americans are so funny. Everything is a conspiracy theory. From JFK to now athletes in sports. Makes me laugh!

            1. Don’t blame it on Americans, PT. As mid would argue, there’s whacked out people everywhere.

              1. Don’t get me wrong , Americans are our brothers but it seems when something goes sideways, it’s a big conspiracy theory.

              2. I have to admit it doesn’t help America’s current image in this regard that the most prominent American is the conspiracy-theorist-in-chief. “Bomb”. Really? Scare quotes the same day the terrorist bomber suspect is arrested? I suppose if the suspect’s van were covered in Muslim or left wing propaganda we’d be getting a very different story. Oops, is that a conspiracy theory? Mea culpa.

              3. All good Rib. Politics, especially American politics is not my thing.

                Let’s get a win Sunday!

              4. @Rib…..can you imagine if he did have “Muslim or left wing propaganda…….people like Razor, ninermd, Mid…etc……would be……..

              5. @Rib…..can you imagine if he did have “Muslim or left wing propaganda…….people like Razor, ninermd, Mid…etc……would be……..

                Simple. I still would refuse to categorize a group on the basis of one lunatic like you did. I would also not use any racist terms.

              6. Simple. I still would refuse to categorize a group on the basis of one lunatic like you did. I would also not use any racist terms.

                Even in a White House event, after the suspect had been arrested and his partisan views known, the name George Soros was brought up and that group at the White House started chanting “lock him up” with trump acknowledging and repeating. Lock him up for what? Being the recipient of a MAGA bomb? Mid, you are being willfully obtuse now. Categorization is made when obvious patterns emerge. These people didn’t send a bomb, but they sure aren’t bothered by it. Trump is bothered, only to the extent that it has pushed his other divisive themes from the news cycle.

                Md, Razor, fish, Darren and others would need to express thier reaction in thier own words. But up to now, I’ve not seen them complain about trumps vicious political style, his lies about “crimes” committed by his political opponents who he brands as “evil”. And please don’t start with the “leave politics out this sports discussion “. You’ve all been more than eager to bring politics here when it served your purposes.

              7. Who’s to blame? The perpetrator.

                Does having a single voice of the person in the most powerful position continuously make comments about evil, enemies of the state, inflammatory statements about those who he disagrees with or challenge him, showing racism and misogyny lead to increased divisiveness and the actions we saw with pipe bombs and today in Pittsburgh. I think it’s really hard to say that those things aren’t playing a role in it.

              8. There are so many holes in your post that it would take a long post to point out each one, but I am not going to bother responding to you because you have revealed your mindset and that it will not change no matter what evidence is presented to you. People like you try to justify your categorization, but more often than not your attempts just put your hate on display. This happens on both sides of the political aisle and is why I see politics as a cess pool that needs to stay off this blog.
                I will however respond to one area of your final paragraph. I do my best to avoid bringing politics onto this blog even it supports my views because I am sick of seeing politics in every corner of the internet. The only time I do get involved is when there are half truths, apparent bias, categorization, or racism being used by others in their political posts, and even then I try my best to avoid them because there is concrete evidence that an individual will double down on their political views when said views are challenged successfully or unsuccessfully. All that political crap does is waste space on the blog and caused everyone to gang up on one another. It is so bad that something as simple as someone meeting the POTUS resulted in derogatory comments and incessant sniping. Politics is not needed on this blog whatsoever, whether it is a liberal or conservative viewpoint.

              9. “Politics is not needed on this blog whatsoever, whether it is a liberal or conservative viewpoint.”

                Yet you continue to respond to it when someone brings it up. The blog is an open forum, if you don’t like what someone says you have a choice to simply scroll past.

              10. Yet you continue to respond to it when someone brings it up. The blog is an open forum, if you don’t like what someone says you have a choice to simply scroll past.

                Actually I hardly do. The categorization by Oneniner and Ribico are one of the very few times that I have stayed on a political topic as long.
                The blog is indeed an open forum, but that does not justify racism, categorization, etcetera.

            2. Why Donald Trump got elected – Romney, Pelosi, Bush Clan, Clinton Clan, Sanders, McCain, Obama, Cruz, Koch Bros, George Soros, I can keep going with many more but I think you all get the point. The most powerful scumbags in the world couldn’t beat Trump that may be the funniest thing ever known to mankind.

              1. I dunno Razor I am just smiling ear to ear as I smh. Both sides just haven’t figured it out yet and as long as they keep their current leaders they may never figure it out. It will be a ideological war in a constant state of flux with no end in sight.

      1. I think the idea he sat himself against the Rams has some merit to it as a theory, but its a leap to go from theory to believing it is true. There really isn’t a lot of evidence to support it right now. If we go through the season and he keeps pulling himself from tough matchups then sure, I will think its got some legs.

        I will also say this – players generally know when teammates aren’t fully in. I doubt they would name him team captain if they believed he was protecting himself.

  5. Richard Sherman along with Malcolm Smith are signings that fall into the area of veteran leaders . They are only short timers.
    The tidbit at the end of Grant’s column concerning Fosters shoulder is of much more importance to this franchise. As the condition of his shoulder continues to deteriorate and it will, he will be out of the league in two years. This is another wasted pick in a position of need for the team.
    Brick by brick… how about high fire bricks because mud bricks just get washed away.

  6. Before training camp, I stated that the best scenario would have been for Sherman to be on the IR with a 6 week designation to return, so he could fully heal and rehabilitate from his surgeries. Of course, RS did not want that because he would not get paid, but he is missing out on his financial targets anyways.He will not play 90% of the defensive snaps.
    .
    RS is not being tested on his side because Witherspoon is getting the Dontae Johnson treatment. That may change when other teams realize that RS is a shell of his former self.
    .
    However, another team with CB needs and playoff aspirations may want some veteran savvy, so RS may be a trade target even with his health concerns. While RS is good for the other DBs, maybe the best option for the Niners is to trade him away to get a third, fourth or fifth round pick for him. Then the Niners can play their rookies and give them some experience while this season lurches on to its dismal finish.

    1. I think that Seb is being realistic. Signing Sherm was always a bit far-fetched. The Niners came into the season without the talent to succeed. Even before the endless injuries, it was clear that this was not a food team. Even Jimmy G. was having a sub-par year before he was injured.

      1. He isn’t even being close to realistic, which is to the surprise of no one. First, Sherman’s calf injury occurred while he was playing, so the idea of putting Sherman on IR with a designation to return at the beginning of the season in order to make sure he was fully healed is fairly moot.
        Second, Sherman is being tested because quarterbacks tend to try to avoid throwing to a shutdown CB. When a quarterback has thrown in his vicinity, Sherman has only allowed a couple of completions.
        Third, Sherman is not going to be traded unless there is an available team that needs a CB for their Seahawks style secondary.

        1. Teams don’t throw at Sherman because they don’t need to. I’d like to see a team decide to really go after him. That would be interesting.

              1. “So every throw in his direction has been bad then?”

                I don’t know if I’d say that. The guy has had only about 10 passes thrown his way this season. He does have 2 passes defensed on those, 1 of which was an underthrow. There’s also been at least 1 really bad miss to a wide open Larry Fitzgerald.

                As I said, it would be interesting to see how he’d hold up if a team really went after him like they’re doing to the other guys.

              2. That usually happens with some shutdown CBs when they are still playing good, which is why I am failing to see your point.

              3. My point is, Sherman’s numbers aren’t reflective of his play but rather the cast around him.

                If he was on a team with a better corner opposite him, say the Rams for instance with Talib on the other side, I think the conversation about him would be totally different because teams would actually be throwing his direction on a much more regular basis.

              4. Think Jack is right on this one. Teams will game plan primarily against the path of least resistance. But a few changeups are expected just to keep Sherman honest.

        2. Mid, Sherman was held out of practices during TC, so he was not 100%, and the calf designation is not discounting the possibility that he was over compensating, to put less stress on his Achilles.
          .
          No matter what, he missed 2 games so far, so if he had been on IR, he would be healthier now without the game time stress on his legs.
          .
          Glad they are avoiding him, but he is not being tested because there is a weaker link in the chain.
          .
          I prefaced my trade remark with a caveat that some team, with attrition, would be needing a CB. A team with playoff ambitions might want to gamble on Sherman.
          .
          Sherman is not in the Niner’s long term plans, so it might be better to trade him, and get something for him, while also making him happy to move on from a cellar dweller to a playoff team.
          .
          Unrealistic? It is more unrealistic to assume Sherman will return to his SB form.

          1. – Read up on calf injuries.

            – This is speculation on your part. You are literally assuming that he would avoid stress on his legs if he returned at a later date, and it has no merit because he can just as easily hurt his calf after coming off IR given his age and the sport that he plays in.

            – Some shutdown CBs do get tested while other do not. When Nmandi Asomugha was still playing, he went through a three year span where QBs only threw in vicinity 98 times.

            – The trade makes zero sense due to the fact that Sherman would need to play in a defense like the one Seattle and San Francisco implement, and there are many playoff contenders in need of a CB for said defense.

            – A team does not trade away their best pieces unless they are not scheme fits or the GM is in the process of blowing up the team in order to prepare for a rebuild.

            – I never once indicated that Sherman has returned to Super Bowl form, and your post was and still is unrealistic.

            1. Mid, of course I was speculating, just like I speculated that Jonathan Cooper was trying to come back too soon after his surgery. You may speculate that he would get injured no matter what, but I speculated that he would have a better chance to stay healthy with more time to rehab. You are stating that having less time to rehab is a good thing. Obviously, since he has missed 2 games, my speculation has more merit than yours.
              .
              ‘There are many playoff contenders in need of a CB for said defense.’ Um, I think you made a Freudian slip.
              .
              Actually, maybe it would be better to term RS as an All Pro shut down corner. Every team could use one of those.
              .
              No, RS is not their best player, since he is coming off of surgery, and has missed 2 games. A GM blowing up the team should trade him away since he is not considered a long term option.
              .
              From the way you were talking about RS, I just assumed you thought he would return to SB form. Glad you agree with me and assume he is just a stop gap solution, with question marks. Trading him away is not only realistic, it is logical, especially for a rebuilding team.
              .
              RS knows the drill. He sees the turnover in the league. He just moved to a division rival, so he may have revenge in mind more than loyalty to the Niners. I bet he would welcome a chance to go to a playoff team, instead of struggling on this 1-6 team.

  7. https://www.ninersnation.com/2018/10/26/18025500/solomon-thomas-49ers-fix-better-interior-edge-3t

    Unsurprisingly Solly plays better as a 3T. Who would’ve thought?

    The issue they have had is not wanting to move Buckner from his spot. Totally understandable given he is clearly the best player on the DL. They obviously haven’t been enthused with the experiment of giving him snaps at DE. But he did well at 1T against the Rams and if he can continue to play well at 1T that opens up opportunities for Thomas to get more snaps at his best spot. As a side benefit, it gets Earl Mitchell off the field more.

    1. Yup. Aaron Donald attacked up the middle against Richberg, and did well. Buckner could do the same thing.
      .
      I agree, in the case of Mitchell, addition through subtraction may be the wisest course of action.

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