SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ The only member of the 49ers' season-opening secondary that isn't on injured reserve is also the one who had the biggest injury concern: cornerback Richard Sherman.
He didn't make the Pro Bowl this week. He isn't going to the playoffs. He doesn't have an interception (so far) for the first time in his eight-year career. But Sherman's transition from the Seattle Seahawks to the 49ers has been a success, both in terms of the veteran leadership he's brought to a young defense and the high-level of play he's regained.
"It's definitely one of the more gratifying seasons to get through healthy and feeling better every week," Sherman said Friday. "Coming from this Achilles (repair), there was so much left to the mind in not knowing how it would respond each week.
"To finally have some consistency and the way my body feels, it's been better than any Pro Bowl I could have got, honestly."
The NFC's Pro Bowl cornerbacks are Kyle Fuller (Chicago Bears), Patrick Peterson (Arizona Cardinals), Darius Slay (Detroit Lions) and Byron Jones (Dallas Cowboys). Sherman, who coach Kyle Shanahan said deserved Pro Bowl consideration, did not take it as a slight that he wasn't selected, nor did he make first or second alternate.
"It's disappointing but that's no knock on the kids that got it. Those guys all earned their spots," Sherman said. "I've got to find a way to play better in order to make it." Fuller and the NFC North-winning Bears (10-4) visit the 49ers (4-10) on Sunday in the home finale at Levi's Stadium.
