Tired of hearing about Richard Sherman trade rumors?
You may be in luck as coach Pete Carroll confirmed Thursday what has been the common thought for a while _ the end of the NFL draft last week also basically meant the end of any opportunity for the Seahawks to trade Sherman.
In fact, in an interview on ESPN 710 Seattle on the Brock and Salk Show, Carroll gave some of his most expansive comments on the Sherman matter, saying that he and Sherman have a relationship now that is "as good as it's ever been" and that the team accomplished what was its main goal in the process, that "we got him back playing for us."
That latter comment sort of backs up the idea that the trade idea was as much Sherman's as the team's but that through the several-month process of exploring trades things worked out for Sherman to accept, if not embrace, playing for the Seahawks in 2017.
Carroll and general manager John Schneider had each talked in recent months with surprising frankness of fielding trade calls for Sherman, with Carroll at the league meetings in March referencing Sherman's rocky 2016 season, saying he "went through a lot last year and most of it self-inflicted." If the team also always acknowledged that the chances of trading Sherman were slim, the comments also seemed aimed at sending a message to Sherman. But the team's tone sounded a little different Thursday.
Here's what Carroll said Thursday when asked about where the team's relationship stood with Sherman:
"I think it's as good as it's ever been. We've spent really significant time working through the stuff that we wanted to talk about from last year and he was open and wiling to talk about it. We also, there was conversation about it, that we were, as everybody on our team is available to somebody who wants to come get them if they want to trade for them. We don't want to trade guys, we want to keep our guys, but we have to in an effort to always work to be better to help our team, we have to listen and all that so we went through that process. Very open conversation about that, there was no animosity at all.
"Really Sherm is looking forward to getting back on the field, competing and battling. He's talked really clearly about that. His focus going forward, he wants to really recapture the intensity that he has always brought and he feels like he can do that. He adjusted some two or three years ago and we think it's time for us to continue to dig into him and make sure that he is really at the height of his game intensity wise. That may worry you guys. It doesn't worry me at all. I love that thought. But there a times to make good decisions and good choices in regard to supporting your teammates and your team and all that and he is really on point. So I am excited to see that element in our team this year coming back. We need his experience and his playmaking. And any of that trade talk stuff, John did a great job of just letting you guys know what was going on and we played it out and we did exactly we what needed to do _ we got him back playing for us."
Asked if the trade talks are completely dead, Carroll said "yes" then paused, then added: "in one respect because we are not at draft time. But people can always call you and there were some conversations (apparently meaning during the draft). I don't think they are going to change and I don't think anybody could offer us anything that would make it worthwhile at this point because there is no draft involved. But don't think _ that's always out there. There are always opportunities to trade and we would say that everybody is untouchable but we always have to listen to the opportunities."
But Carroll then said "the likelihood is like zero percent, it seems. Teams don't want to give up stuff. They don't want to trade at times like this and it's really hard to navigate through trades with experienced players at draft time. It just doesn't happen very often."
So in essence, Carroll again confirmed the team could well have traded Sherman had it gotten offers that would have made it worth it, but never did, and they don't expect that to happen now, with Sherman on board with all of it.
Carroll also mentioned Sherman being "the most healthy" of the trio of Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, an apparent nod to the knee injury that bothered Sherman at the end of last season.
Thomas is recovering from a broken lower leg (tibia) at the end of last season. But Carroll indicated again that Thomas should be ready for the start of the regular season.
Chancellor had offseason surgery on both ankles _ apparently to clean up bone spurs in each _ and Carroll said he remains somewhat limited as the team is in Phase Two of the offseason program, when the defense can work as a unit.
