SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ Richard Sherman said he will debut in a 49ers uniform Saturday, when they visit the Indianapolis Colts for each team's third exhibition.
Will we be seeing the All-Pro version from his Seattle Seahawks days, or a veteran cornerback concerned about his Achilles and hamstring?
"Those things are feeling great," Sherman said Wednesday. "They figured to wait an extra week. I could have played last week. That's what I was trying to do ... Kyle, they, held us back.
"I'm not concerned about how that's going to respond. I'm more concerned about my game shape and making sure I can still go every single play, because I haven't played in eight months."
Sherman tore his right Achilles in November, effectively ending his seven-year tenure with the Seahawks. After having bone spurs removed from his lower left leg in January, he joined the 49ers and was progressing well in limited action until an Aug. 3 hamstring strain.
So why play Saturday rather than wait for the Sept. 9 regular-season opener at Minnesota?
"It's important just for defensive-continuity standpoint, everybody knowing where people are going to be on game day," Sherman said. "You don't want the first time you communicate with somebody else to be with live bullets out there."
Sherman said he felt "85 percent" healthy prior to the hamstring strain, which he said came by taking "a weird step" while covering Pierre Garcon.
Added Sherman: "It wasn't like, 'Oh man I was running straight and caught my hamstring.' I took a weird step on an angle and it was a freak deal, but it gave me time to heal up. I feel even better now and look forward to going out this week."
Sherman endorsed coach Kyle Shanahan showing players video of Sherman getting burned by Marquise Goodwin earlier in camp as a teaching tool, telling players not to fear failure in practice.
Sherman said he's never been fueled by doubters, adding: "When nobody knew about me, I knew about me. ... If you let people's criticism really define who you are, you'll always be a failure."
