Should 49ers welcome reunion with free-agent Richard Sherman?

While Richard Sherman all but ruled out a return to the 49ers, an oversaturated cornerback market means he could be re-signed on the cheap.

Shortly after the end of the San Francisco 49ers‘ 2020 campaign, veteran cornerback Richard Sherman told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco it was highly unlikely he’d return to the Niners in 2021.

At least not with all the free agents San Francisco had to re-sign and other roster needs to address, likely pushing the soon-to-be 33 year old into the open market.

It made sense at the time, After all, Sherman missed all but five games last year with various injuries, seemed evidently slower than he was in 2019 and arguably “checked out” in the immediate face of NFL free agency.

The 49ers already brought back corners Jason Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley, who are both capable of starting on the boundary. But the depth behind those two remains questionable, particularly in the wake of cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon joining Sherman’s old team, the Seattle Seahawks.

Under normal conditions, it would be an easy foregone conclusion to let Sherman sign elsewhere. But the global pandemic, a diminished salary cap in 2021 and an oversaturated cornerback free-agent market has led to Sherman, along with plenty of other corners, remaining unsigned over the initial first waves of NFL free agency.

There were thoughts teams like the Las Vegas Raiders or New York Jets could court the five-time Pro Bowler. Raiders head coach Jon Gruden previously joked about it, while first-year Jets head coach Robert Saleh already has extensive ties with Sherman and could use a savvy veteran to help revamp his budding defense.

As of now, Sherman remains unsigned, prompting thoughts about whether or not the Niners could bring him back on the cheap.

Should 49ers re-sign Richard Sherman on the cheap, or should they stay committed to the goodbye?

Sherman, continuing to act as his own agent, already said he wants to play two more years before retiring. So it’s not likely he’ll accept a one-year deal for 2021 before having to uproot once more for a probable other team a year from now.

That should be a deterrent, at least from San Francisco’s perspective. The 49ers shouldn’t find a need for Sherman any longer than one year, particularly if they’re looking for younger, healthier options to eventually replace Verrett, whose a free agent in 2021, too.

But depth at cornerback remains a problem for the Niners, and Sherman does have that veteran’s savvy along with being one of the more respected leaders in the clubhouse over the last three years.

That has value.

Plus, Sherman also hinted at the possibility of moving to safety to close out his career. Last season, Saleh experimented with Sherman at strong safety in the wake of the starter, Jaquiski Tartt, landing on injured reserve with a toe injury.

Tartt, too, isn’t likely to return, leaving defensive backs Tarvarius Moore and Marcell Harris the favorites to compete for Tartt’s role.

But if Sherman is willing to accept his market isn’t awfully hot — and he’d reportedly be willing to return, saying “the door is always open” — there’s an argument San Francisco would consider re-signing him on the cheap.

For now, it’s just a thought. Like Sherman’s market elsewhere, there hasn’t been much movement, and the 49ers may be wiser to let that roster spot go to a younger player on the ascent instead of using it on someone in the twilight of an otherwise stellar career.