It’s not enough for the Seahawks to simply let the world know — in terms more blunt than we’re accustomed to — that Richard Sherman is available.
They also have to make it clear what they’re expecting in return if they want to see this swap meet through to fruition. So now comes word from the other corner of the country of what they want in exchange for their star cornerback.
According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, an NFL source said the Seahawks are asking for “a very good player plus a high draft pick.”
It would probably help if that very good player was on a contract smaller than Sherman’s because that’s one of the reasons they’re at least considering moving a top-shelf player. But the chance to get a price-controlled asset back in exchange is key, as their roster has grown top-heavy in recent years (which is an unfortunate side effect of being good at football and then having to pay good football players, that invoice eventually comes due).
Sherman also has some degree of say in this, or at least the ability to influence a potential deal. If he’s not going to re-do his contract (and why would he?) and there are certain places he just won’t go, it naturally limits Seattle’s options. He’s already said he understands it’s just business, and that he doesn’t expect anything to happen.
But, if you’re going to do this dance, you might as well start high, to give yourself room to negotiate. Word’s now out on the price, and operators in Seattle are standing by.