Report: Richard Sherman open to being traded, but only to contender

Richard Sherman has spent his entire career with the Seattle Seahawks and helped build one of the most ferocious defenses in NFL history, but that does not mean he is opposed to playing for another team. He is, however, unwilling to play for a loser.

Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald told PFT Live on Friday that Sherman has been actively involved in the trade discussions surrounding him. While his contract doesn’t include a no-trade clause, Sherman would reportedly only cooperate in negotiations if the Seahawks are trying to send him to a contender.

“Richard Sherman is talking to some people,” Salguero said. “He wants to play in Super Bowls or have a chance to compete in Super Bowls, so he has some degree of leverage as to where this train goes.”

For what it’s worth, Salguero does not envision a trade happening because of the high price tag Seattle has attached to Sherman. A source told the reporter on Thursday that the Seahawks want “a very good player plus a high draft pick” in any trade for Sherman. While Sherman is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, he is also one of the highest-paid and recently turned 29. He’s past the point in his career where he can be considered a franchise cornerstone if he joins a new team.

All indications are that Sherman and the Seahawks are open to a divorce. Rumors swirled earlier in the week about one specific AFC team, but it doesn’t sound like that is going to happen. Either way, we can expect more Sherman trade talk leading up to the NFL Draft.