The defending Super Bowl Champion, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, just got a lot better on the defensive side of the ball.
Free agent cornerback Richard Sherman announced via The Richard Sherman Podcast that he is signing a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Sherman said on his podcast with Pro Football Focus, "I went with the best offer I had, the best opportunity to go out there and put some great tape on, to lead another group. I feel comfortable and confident in my abilities to go out there and execute and help that team win."
Sherman became an unrestricted free agent in March after his third season with the San Francisco 49ers.
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The cornerback remained unsigned during the off-season due to highly-publicized legal issues. Sherman landed in the national headlines for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol, and attempting to break into his in-laws' residence. Sherman then pled guilty to five misdemeanors stemming from the incident.
Shortly after, King County District Court Judge Fa’amomoi Masania released Sherman from jail without bail.
During court proceedings Judge Fa’amomoi Masania said, "I see Mr. Sherman is [as] a pillar in this community. He's a business owner. He's a husband. He's a father." He then concluded, "I'm going to release Mr. Sherman on his own promise to return to court."
Recently, Richard Sherman spoke out on teams that are hesitant to sign him. While speaking to reporter Doug Farrar, Sherman expressed that teams should not be dissuaded from signing him based on his past transgressions and that if they are, he's simply not interested in playing for them.
"I’ve got a decade worth of résumé that should stand more firmly than a momentary lapse in judgment," Sherman said. "I’ve got a decade of character and tape to be judged off of… If you’re judging me off of a momentary lapse, I’m probably not the player for you either way."
Sources reportedly told ESPN's Ed Werder that Sherman believes he needs a week or two to be ready to play in a game.
Check out his podcast for more details, below.