5 pending free agents 49ers must re-sign in 2021
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: 49ers Cornerback Richard Sherman
Yes, another cornerback. Notice a trend here?
San Francisco elected not to dip into what was considered a deep cornerback pool in the 2020 NFL Draft, and it’s anyone’s guess whether or not that decision comes back to bite John Lynch and Co.
But it also suggests the Niners are willing to re-sign the veteran, Richard Sherman, once his three-year deal inked back in 2018 expires at the end of the upcoming season. True, Sherman will be 33 years old by the time the 2021 season kicks off, and the questions about his age and ability will start to grow louder.
Still, Sherman’s presence on the field and within the locker room can’t be underestimated, and one can only assume the 49ers would want to retain his services if the price was right.
Sherman’s leadership role can help here, of course, but the ultimate deciding factor will be whether or not his asking price is beyond what San Francisco values for his services. Yet the Niners’ relative inaction on the back end of the cornerback depth chart could ultimately put Sherman in the driver’s seat for contract negotiations, which he’ll likely again do himself.
If that’s the case, the 49ers may have no other choice but to keep Sherman around for another few years at least.