The most decorated cornerback in Seattle Seahawks history is 29 years old and still near his physical prime. Richard Sherman is also available for trade. The Seahawks have said so publicly and somewhat casually. It's an unusual situation that remains a hot topic in the NFL.
"I think it is incredibly interesting," an executive from another team said.
This league insider and five others provided insights into one of the more curious developments involving a front-line player this offseason.
This all started in March when former NFL executive Mike Lombardi, now a contributor to The Ringer, said he'd heard Seattle was open to trading Sherman. The story gained traction April 5 when Seahawks general manager John Schneider told 710 ESPN Seattle radio that the Sherman talk was "real" and that, while any deal would be unlikely, the team had "opened that door" to see what a trade might return. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Sherman had initiated trade talks. Sherman then told Peter King of The MMQB that "both sides were listening" and there was "no bad blood" between team and player.
With the draft set to begin Thursday, an initial deadline is looming. Any team trading a 2017 first-round choice to Seattle for Sherman would need to do so before selecting a player for its own roster. It's a great time to size up the situation from multiple angles.