The Seattle Seahawks had a lot of decisions to make after winning the Super Bowl last season. The Seahawks have many of their marquee players up for a contract extension and as free agency calms down, those deals are starting to come into focus. Richard Sherman appears to be the first up for negotiations and could get a new deal by the time the NFL Draft roles around.
According to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, the Seahawks and Sherman have made significant progress in a long-term deal for the cornerback. The 26-year-old might be the best secondary player in the NFL right now. Outside of maybe Darrelle Revis who is now with the New England Patriots, Sherman is the best shut-down defender on the field and is ready to get paid like such.
Seattle is hoping to have a new deal signed before the draft rolls around, so how much is Sherman worth to the team? Revis just signed a one-year deal that will pay him $12 million this season with the Patriots. Aqib Talib signed a deal that earns him $26 million in guaranteed money from the Denver Broncos. Sherman will likely earn more than both of those players, plus get a few more years on the contract.
To say Sherman is worth an extension is an understatement. The cornerback has canceled out several of the top athletes in the NFL while making the lives of Colin Kaepernick and Peyton Manning pretty tough on the field. He has certainly out preformed his rookie contract after being a fifth-round pick in 2011. He will make a mere $1.4 million this season despite becoming All-Pro and helping Seattle win a championship.
Sherman's deal could set a tone in the league. The Cleveland Browns are trying to get Joe Haden signed to a new deal. Patrick Peterson is also available for a new contract. Sherman's salary will determine what they two players are making in the future.
Along with Sherman, quarterback Russell Wilson, safety Earl Thomas and tackle Russell Okung are all in need of having their long-term futures decided. Wilson's contract might be the hardest of the three to figure out. Not a first-round pick and not a Tom Brady like player, what is Wilson's worth? Currently he is the third highest paid quarterback on the roster. Both Terrelle Pryor and Tavaris Jackson are making more than Wilson. Seattle is likely waiting for Colin Kaepernick to sign a new deal before moving forward with how to pay Wilson.