Patriots-Seahawks Trade Update: Richard Sherman not going to New England
Star corner won't be joining Tom Brady, Bill Belichick soon
The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots are in for a very interesting 2017 offseason after trade talks involving Richard Sherman. New reports emerged on Friday that it’s the star cornerback who has requested a trade from the start and the Seahawks are just following through his trade demands.
In related Sherman trade news, the New England Patriots are reportedly pulling the plug on the possible acquisition of the cornerback. There were reports on Thursday that trade talks between the Patriots and Seahawks were underway in a deal that would have sent Sherman to New England.
Apparently, the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick-led squad have “changed their mind," as reported by John Breech of CBS Sports.
"It has been my understanding all along that Richard Sherman was the one who initiated this. He was the one that wanted to be traded initially. The Seahawks were obliging him and his request,” Adam Schefter, the NFL insider for ESPN, said via SportsCenter recently.
That’s one less NFL team for Sherman’s possible trade destination this 2017 offseason. One reason for the Patriots’ now lack of interest in the veteran corner is because New England recently gave a huge deal to CB Stephen Gilmore. Getting Sherman would have been redundant and the Patriots are contented with having Gilmore as their starting CB plus possibly another top defensive player in Malcolm Butler.
According to the report, the Seahawks might also have been asking for too much for their star CB. While Sherman is a very good defensive player, the Patriots did not want to give up too much in their title defence next season.
As early as Tuesday, there were already confirmed reports that the Seahawks were aggressively looking for trades involving Sherman. For his part, the veteran corner stated that he understands the business side of being in the NFL and is open to being traded from Seattle. “I wouldn’t want to leave this city and my guys, but I understand it’s a business and organizational philosophies change,” Sherman said about the recent trade speculation.
Meanwhile, Seahawks GM John Schneider was not shy in admitting that they are open to trading their top corner. "What you've seen lately in the news is real. That's on both sides. It's just open communication. He knows what's going on. We know what's going on,” Schneider said in a recent interview.
Richard Sherman was a key part of the Seahawks squad that won Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014.
