TAMPA, Fla. — The Bucs, whose depth issues at cornerback have grown from significant to dire, are bringing five-time all-pro Richard Sherman in for a visit, the Tampa Bay Times has confirmed.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero first tweeted Tuesday morning of Sherman’s impending visit. The Bucs already have lost starting corner Sean Murphy-Bunting (elbow) for an indefinite period, and watched his replacement, Jamel Dean, exit in the first quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Rams with a knee injury.
But days before Dean was injured, coach Bruce Arians acknowledged the team was exploring the possibility of signing the 33-year-old Sherman, whose last full season was with the 49ers in 2019.
Stymied by the lack of a pass rush and some miscommunication on the back end, the Bucs let veteran Matthew Stafford pass for 343 yards and four touchdowns in the Rams’ 34-24 triumph.
When asked afterward about the possibility of bringing more corners in, Arians mentioned the team’s recent addition of two veterans (Rashard Robinson, Pierre Desir) to the practice squad, but added, “We’ll make that decision on the plane, on the ride home.”
Sherman serves as his own agent, and his price tag could be daunting. Still, the Bucs recently restructured the contract of left guard Ali Marpet to create $4 million of cap space for 2021.
If things can be ironed out financially, some legal issues still must be navigated.
Sherman was arrested in July after he tried to force his way into a family member’s home after crashing his SUV in a construction zone. He pleaded not guilty to five misdemeanor charges, including driving under the influence and second-degree criminal trespass, and has been speaking to a therapist since the arrest, NFL Network reported.
A first DUI offense results in a three-game suspension, according to a provision in the NFL’s substance-abuse policy added in 2020. But those sanctions wouldn’t apply until Sherman’s case is adjudicated.
