Cross off CB Richard Sherman as an option for the Pittsburgh Steelers

Richard Sherman was arrested on June 14th. Here’s why the former All-Pro cornerback is no longer a realistic free-agent option for the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Throughout the offseason, there have been the same 3 or 4 free agents that Steelers fans were hoping their team would sing. After David DeCastro was released, signing one of those big names became a realistic possibility.

Richard Sherman was one of those players. After Pittsburgh lost both Steven Nelson and Mike Hilton earlier this offseason, fans have been adamant about adding more talent at the cornerback position. Sadly Sherman is no longer an option for the Steelers (or likely any team, for that matter).

Seahawks reporter Corbin K. Smith posted on the morning of July 14th that the former All-Pro cornerback had been arrested on burglary and domestic violence charges. ESPN’s Adam Schefter later clarified that Washington State Police are investigating Sherman in connection to a hit and run. Sherman remains in custody.

While we don’t know when this case will be resolved, it’s clear that Richard Sherman is no longer an option for the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency. Sherman has been in connection to the Steelers since after the NFL Draft, but we don’t know if this was something that was ever really on the table. So where do the Steelers go from here?

Could Steelers eye a different free agent cornerback?

The bulk of the cornerback market in free agency quickly dried up early in the offseason after most of the top prospects have signed new deals. Richard Sherman was widely considered to be the best of the remaining cornerbacks on the market and one of the best overall players still in free agency.

Though he had an up and down season in just 5 games last year, he was remarkably solid in 15 games in 2019 and still looked like one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. Now that he’s no longer an option, which other options could the Steelers explore in free agency?

While the FA pool has clearly diminished, some of the other top free-agent options at the cornerback position include D.J. Hayden, Josh Norman, and Brian Poole. Unfortunately, each of these players appears to be past their prime, and none have the football reputation of a player like Sherman.

Of course, there’s always the possibility that the team could explore bringing back Steven Nelson. However, the two sides didn’t depart on the best of terms. Nelson was released to save cap room after he was told that he would have to compete for his starting job in 2021.

The Steelers seem to be content entering the season with the cornerback depth they currently have on the roster. Whether or not this is the case, it certainly doesn’t appear that Richard Sherman will be a possibility for Pittsburgh in 2021.