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Analysis: Could Richard Sherman return to the Seattle Seahawks in 2021?

By Ben Arthur, Seattle P-I

Could we see a Richard Sherman return to the Seattle Seahawks?

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The thought is in the ether because the Legion of Boom legend’s time with the the divisional-rival San Francisco 49ers appears to be over. In a story published by The Sacramento Bee this week, Sherman said that he had a conversation with 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch and it’s been made “pretty clear” that a split is coming. Sherman will be an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins March 17.

Outside cornerback happens to be one of the Seahawks’ biggest positions of need this offseason, too. Two of the four players who started games for Seattle in 2020 on the outside will be unrestricted free agents next month: Shaquill Griffin and Quinton Dunbar. They were the Seahawks’ starting corners to begin the past year on the left and right side, respectively.

The long-term future of the other two is unclear as well. Tre Flowers — demoted from his right cornerback job to start 2020 with Dunbar’s arrival, but who still started games at the spot due to injuries at the position — is entering a contract year. And D.J. Reed impressed in his 10 appearances, including eight starts, in 2020 but he does not fit coach Pete Carroll’s vision of a taller and lengthy corner at 5 feet 9.

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Maybe Sherman can’t be the dominant, shutdown corner that he was during his prime in Seattle. He’s approaching his age-33 season and is coming off a year with the 49ers in which he played a career-low five games due to injury, after all. But health enabling, perhaps he can be an effective stop-gap option for the Seahawks at his longtime left cornerback position.

SEATTLE, WA - OCTOBER 29: Richard Sherman #25 of the Seattle Seahawks defends against the Houston Texans at CenturyLink Field on October 29, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WA - OCTOBER 29: Richard Sherman #25 of the Seattle Seahawks defends against the Houston Texans at CenturyLink Field on October 29, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

On a one- or two-year deal, Sherman could give the Seahawks a relatively cheap, dependable presence on the outside who’s already well-versed in the defensive scheme, as they hope to take advantage of a roster that is built to win now, even with a few key contributors who may not be back in 2021. Sherman was a Pro Bowler as recently as 2019. He could buy Seattle a bit more time to identify and develop their outside cornerbacks of the future, and serve as a mentor for those who come after him.

The money and the positional need may add up, but of course the Seahawks and Sherman have to want the reunion. The Seahawks ended Sherman’s tenure with the franchise unceremoniously in March of 2018 by releasing him, after he tore his Achilles in the 2017 season.

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In a Players Tribune piece, Sherman said he gave Seattle the opportunity to match the offer he had from the 49ers a few days later after his release, but they didn’t. It ended his stellar seven-year stint with the Seahawks, with whom he was a three-time first-team All-Pro selection, a four-time Pro Bowler, a Super Bowl champion and one of the biggest personalities in the NFL.

Even though he’s played in the Bay Area the past three seasons, Sherman’s permanent home has remained in Seattle.

In 2021, could he live in it again during football season?

Ben Arthur covers the Seattle Seahawks, the Mariners, and other Seattle-area sports for the SeattlePI