Richard Sherman’s time on the open market came and went in a flash.
After being released from the Seattle Seahawks on Friday, Sherman agreed to a three-year, $39 million free-agent contract with the San Francisco 49ers the following night. Seven teams reportedly expressed immediate interest in Sherman once he became available, but the veteran corner ultimately only held one meeting in free agency.
One club absent from the reported list of interested clubs was the New England Patriots. The Patriots aren’t known for making big splashes in free agency, but there appeared to be mutual interest between the team and Sherman. Sherman “absolutely” wanted to play in New England, per a report, and it made sense for the Pats to try and bolster their depth at the position with a player of Sherman’s caliber.
So, why didn’t Sherman at least schedule a visit with the Patriots? According to the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe, it appears New England wasn’t very proactive in trying to acquire the four-time Pro Bowl selection.
The Patriots never reached out to Richard Sherman, who signed with the 49ers tonight. His interest in the Pats has been real. He wants to play with Tom Brady. But the 49ers presented a heck of an offer. And heck, Brady will still be playing the next time Sherman is a free agent.
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) March 11, 2018
Although the Patriots missed out on the Sherman sweepstakes, the team still was active on the transaction front Saturday. New England agreed to a trade with the Cleveland Browns for defensive tackle Danny Shelton, whose skill set should translate into the Pats’ front seven quite nicely.
