NFL
notebook: Sherman says Carroll's philosophy 'built for college'
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[March 17, 2018] Richard
Sherman believes part of the issue for the Seahawks last season --
Seattle finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs -- was that head coach
Pete Carroll's message wasn't necessarily age appropriate. Sherman
said his approach might be better suited for college players.
"I think it was kind of philosophical on his part," Sherman said of
Carroll, a former USC coach, on a podcast hosted by former Cleveland
Browns left tackle Joe Thomas and retired receiver Andrew Hawkins.
"A lot of us have been there six, seven, eight years, and his
philosophy is more built for college. Four years, guys rotate in,
rotate out, and so we had kind of heard all his stories, we had kind
of heard every story, every funny anecdote that he had. And honestly
because he just recycles them. And they're cool stories, they're
great for team chemistry and building, et cetera, et cetera. But we
had literally heard them all. We could recite them before he even
started to say them."
One week after Sherman was released by the Seahawks in a cap-savings
transaction, he reflected on his time with the team and looked ahead
to playing for the San Francisco 49ers. By staying in the NFC West,
Sherman set up the opportunity to play Seattle twice per season,
which he said was a key factor in his "vengeful" decision.
Sherman, coming off of surgery to repair a torn Achilles after
ending last season on injured reserve, said he was disappointed to
be cast aside in light of the Seahawks standing behind other injured
players. He named safety Earl Thomas and tight end Jimmy Graham as
recent examples.
--Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict is reportedly facing
a four-game suspension for a violation of the league's policy on
performance-enhancing drugs.
NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport tweeted that such a suspension
(which would occur in the first four games of next season) would
void Burfict's three-year, $33 million contract and allow the
Bengals to walk away scot-free.
--The Chicago Bears didn't wait long to match the division rival
Green Bay Packers' offer sheet for cornerback Kyle Fuller, doing so
a few hours after it was signed.
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The deal is worth $56 million over four years with $29 million in
practical guarantees, according to multiple reports, including $20
million due the first year. The $14 million annual average ranks
fifth among all cornerbacks -- $10,000 per year behind Patrick
Peterson -- and the guarantee ranks eighth.
The Bears designated Fuller with the transition tag on March 6,
assigning the three-year veteran a $12.971 million salary for the
2018 season with the opportunity to work out a long-term deal over
the next several months. Chicago also owned the right to match any
offer from other teams, without any compensation coming its way if
it were to pass.
--The Tampa Bay Buccaneers added free-agent center Ryan Jensen on a
mammoth deal, according to multiple reports, setting a major
offensive line benchmark.
Per NFL Network, Jensen's contract is for $42 million over four
years with $22 million guaranteed. It makes the former Baltimore
Raven the league's highest paid center in terms of annual average
($10.5 million), narrowly ahead of Jacksonville's Brandon Linder
($10.3 million). Jensen, who also visited with the Colts in free
agency before the Bucs, ranks fifth among centers in guaranteed
money.
--The New England Patriots will sign former Atlanta Falcons
defensive end Adrian Clayborn, according to multiple reports, and
former Cincinnati Bengals running back Jeremy Hill, according to
ESPN.
Per NFL Network, Clayborn's deal will be worth $12 million over two
years. Terms for Hill's deal were not immediately available.
--Veteran wide receiver Michael Crabtree has agreed to a three-year
contract with the Baltimore Ravens, according to multiple reports.
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The Ravens moved to sign Crabtree after initially targeting wide
receiver Ryan Grant in free agency. When Grant failed a physical
with Baltimore, the Ravens quickly pivoted to add another wideout.
Crabtree, 30, was released by the Oakland Raiders on Thursday and
spent less than a day on the market. His deal with the Ravens is
worth $21 million with $11 million guaranteed and a $7 million
signing bonus, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
--Sheldon Richardson has agreed to a one-year contract with the
Minnesota Vikings, the team announced.
The deal is reportedly worth $8 million, with the chance to earn an
extra $3 million in incentives. Richardson, 27, said he preferred
the short-term pact.
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"It's better this way," he told reporters at his introductory press
conference. "That's just how I feel, no explanation to it. That's
just how I feel. This was the best opportunity, this was the best
deal we came up with. I let my agent handle the numbers and stuff, I
just came to play football."
--The Philadelphia Eagles released defensive end Vinny Curry, the
team announced, in a salary-clearing move.
According to multiple reports, Curry declined to take a pay cut and
the team had been shopping him, along with linebacker Mychal
Kendricks, in trades this week in an effort to clear cap room after
a number of offseason additions. After trading for Michael Bennett,
the Eagles also signed Nigel Bradham, Haloti Ngata and Corey Nelson
to free-agent deals.
--Defensive lineman Karl Klug is on the open market after being
released by the Tennessee Titans.
Klug, who turns 30 on March 31, finishes his Titans career with 21.5
sacks and 128 tackles.
--Veteran running back Adrian Peterson told ESPN's "First Take" that
the Houston Texans would be a "perfect landing spot" following his
release earlier this week by the Arizona Cardinals. Peterson was
born in Palestine, Texas, about a 3-hour drive from Houston.
"It has always been my dream to come back home and play," Peterson
said. "Taken that I've been living in Houston for over a decade.
That would be a perfect landing spot, here in my backyard. That
would be very convenient."
--Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen could be looking at a
potential future on ESPN's "Monday Night Football" broadcast team.
The New York Post reported Olsen is auditioning for such a position
this week. He could also be an option for Thursday Night Football on
FOX, per the Post.
However, NFL Network reports Olsen "has committed to playing for
Carolina for 2018 and beyond," so his audition appears to be more
about the future than any looming possibility of retirement. Either
way, Carolina appears interested in adding depth at the position
around Olsen, having visited with former first-round pick Eric Ebron
and Luke Willson.
--Former San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid, now an unrestricted
free agent, says his activism is the reason he hasn't received much
interest from NFL teams since the new league year began.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2018/Mar/17/images/ads/current/brickey_sda_2017.png)
"The notion that I can be a great signing for your team for cheap,
not because of my skill set but because I've protested systemic
oppression, is ludicrous. If you think is, then your mindset is part
of the problem too," Reid tweeted.
--Buffalo re-signed running backs Travaris Cadet and Taiwan Jones,
who had become free agents, giving the Bills some flexibility and
competition for new addition Chris Ivory, who is expected to be
running back LeSean McCoy's primary backup in 2018.
Cadet has 49 carries for 180 yards and 118 catches for 959 yards
over six NFL seasons. Jones has 44 carries for 183 yards and 18
catches for 251 yards over seven seasons.
--Field Level Media
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