Saturday 10 March 2018 13:17, UK
The Seattle Seahawks have informed cornerback Richard Sherman he will be released and become a free agent.
ESPN's NFL Insider Adam Schefter said on Friday afternoon Sherman would be released by the end of the day, likely sparking a bidding war for his services.
Sherman, 29, was an integral part of the Seahawks' feared "Legion Of Boom" defense despite only being selected in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of Stanford University.
Since then, Sherman has been selected to four Pro Bowl teams, been a first-team All-Pro on three occasions and won a Super Bowl, which came in February 2014 at the end of a season when he was the league's interceptions leader.
But Sherman, who had started every game since the start of his second season in the league, had an injury-disrupted 2017 campaign.
He hurt his Achilles early in the season and was only able to play in eight games before shutting down his season after limping out of the Week 10 clash with the Arizona Cardinals.
Sherman, who has only ever played for the Seahawks in the NFL, will be free to sign with a new team when the league's free agency period opens on Wednesday.
His impending departure comes with Seattle apparently ready to make a number of major moves on defense, with defensive end Michael Bennett set to join the Philadelphia Eagles via trade.
Another defensive end, Cliff Avril, could also be a trade candidate after an injury-hit season, and a number of rival teams are expected to makes offers to tackle Sheldon Richardson, who the Seahawks decided not to use their franchise tag on and will therefore become a free agent on Wednesday.
