New Orleans Saints showing interest in ex-Niners cornerback
The heavy lifting of the Saints‘ $100 million cap problem is just about over. The team has released or restructured over a dozen players that were on the 2020 rosters. They have also re-signed future starting quarterback Jameis Winston for 2021.
Many think the team just needs to be done and focus on what could come in 2021, but I don’t think that Sean Payton and the front office are done quite yet. According to NFL.com, the team has expressed interest in former 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman.
Sherman is a 33-year-old cornerback whose market value is still hovering around $10 million per year. The star defender is a free agent this year so it is possible for the Saints to outright sign him, but I don’t know if they have a competing offer.
The Saints have shown interest in signing a five-time Pro-Bowl cornerback; if the team could make it happen, it could be huge.
Regardless, Sherman might want the Saints over more money. He is coming off of a season where he only appeared in five games due to various injuries. He only came away with 18 tackles, one interception, and one pass defended.
Even though he had a below-average performance last year, I still think that Sherman has elite-level talent. The Saints already released one of their cornerbacks in Janoris Jenkins so they are in need of a replacement at the position.
The #Saints are among the teams expressing interest in five-time Pro Bowl CB Richard Sherman, per sources. Sherman’s old DBs coach in Seattle, Kris Richard, now has the same job in New Orleans and the team is in the cornerback market after releasing Janoris Jenkins.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 16, 2021
On top of that, the Saints hired Kris Richard as their secondary coach after the team lost Aaron Glenn to Detroits with Dan Campbell. Richard was the defensive coordinator in Seattle under Pete Carroll during the time that Sherman thrived with the Seahawks.
The familiarity there might be a possible draw to Sherman as well. Either way, the Saints might not be interested in paying him $10 million per year, but they are definitely interested in signing him if the two sides can come to a mutually beneficial agreement.
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Sherman would add size, skill, and leadership at the position opposite Marshon Lattimore. He would raise the secondary back up to 2020 status after the loss of Janoris Jenkins. This would be huge if New Orleans could get it done.