Is CB Richard Sherman still an option for the Raiders?

One of the biggest storylines in free agency this year was where will All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman land? Sherman is 33 years old but is still a quality cornerback in the right scheme.

The idea of adding Sherman has been an intriguing one for Raiders’ fans as he has played most of his career in a Cover-3 defense. And as we know, arguably the best year of his career came under Gus Bradley in 2012.

But now that free agency has come to a grinding halt, is adding Sherman still a possibility for the Raiders? In a recent article by Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report, he predicted that Sherman will ultimately land with the Raiders. Here is a quick snippet of his thoughts on the potential pairing:

“He could help groom upstart cornerbacks Damon Arnette and Trayvon Mullen, who are heading into their second and third seasons, respectively. Also of note, Sherman played under Raiders defensive coordinator Gus Bradley for two seasons in 2011 and 2012.”

The biggest problem with landing Sherman is the cap. According to OverTheCap.com, the Raiders have just under $3 million in cap space after signing Kolton Miller to a contract extension. While there are ways to free up space, the Raiders will need money to pay their draft class and find a veteran safety before the start of camp.

The Raiders could restructure or extend Derek Carr and that could free up nearly $10 million in cap space. They could also restructure Darren Waller, saving around $4 million, as well. So they have options, but it will be interesting just how much space they create over the next few weeks.

Sherman to the Raiders remains a possibility, but it is unlikely to happen before the 2021 NFL draft. Don’t be surprised if Sherman signs a deal in May or June, once the draft has played out and depth charts are more complete.

If the Raiders don’t add a cornerback high in the 2021 NFL draft, don’t be surprised if Sherman does join the team at some point in the summer. While we certainly aren’t reporting that it will happen, it just makes too much sense for both sides.