49ers’ 2018 ‘Who Is?’ series: Cornerback Richard Sherman
By Peter Panacy
Why Richard Sherman Regresses
Despite the promising signs of recovery, there’s always going to be the concern Richard Sherman’s Achilles injury comes back to bite him somehow. Perhaps not by the means of re-injuring it or anything, but rather a general slowdown from the form Sherman fans have known all too well in recent years.
It’s possible we’re seeing this slight regression anyway.
Per Pro Football Focus, Sherman’s 82.7 overall grade last season was down from his 84.4 mark in 2016, which was also down from the 86.4 grade posted the year before:
Granted, the Seahawks defense wasn’t quite as potent the last two years as it was during Sherman’s highest-graded years. But it’s worth noting.
Especially considering Sherman is now on the wrong side of 30 years old.
It’s possible Sherman has to rely more on his mental awareness, positioning and football IQ more these days instead of sheer physical prowess. That’s common for players this stage in their careers. So it’s a good thing the veteran corner is one of the NFL’s most cerebral individuals.
Besides, Sherman’s current abilities are a massive upgrade over anything the 49ers fielded in recent years.