1. Compensation would be absolutely huge
A future Hall of Fame cornerback in the prime of his career doesn’t hit the open market too often. Add in the fact that today’s NFL is of the pass-happy variety, and interest in Sherman’s services would be absolutely ridiculous. At least half of the league’s teams would be lining up to give a first-round pick (and more) to acquire this five-time Pro Bowl performer.
There’s an old saying around the professional sports world. Absolutely no player is off limits in a trade for the right price. That makes perfect sense. Shutting down trade discussions simply because a player is deemed untouchable limits the ability of teams to improve their standing over the long term. In no way does this mean players of Sherman’s ilk are traded at a high clip. It rarely happens.
We can definitely project what it might take to acquire Sherman. We can also use a certain amount of conjecture to conclude what teams might be interested.
Look at the Oakland Raiders as an example. One of their biggest downfalls during a surprising 12-win 2016 campaign was pass coverage. Why not offer up two first-round picks to bring in this elite 28-year-old corner? The same can potentially be said for the defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons. Despite their success last season, the Falcons still yielded the fifth-most passing yards in the NFL. Imagine Sherman teaming up with the recently extended Desmond Trufant? Atlanta could offer up a first-round pick and running back Devonta Freeman as a starting-off point here.
What about the Dallas Cowboys? Here’s a team that lost its two starting corners in free agency. Could Jerry Jones and Co. potentially offer up Pro Bowl wide receiver Dez Bryant and picks? The money lines up, and this trade would surely fill holes for both teams.
Any team looking to acquire Sherman would have to be in contention for a Super Bowl. You simply don’t exhaust huge capital on a non-quarterback if you’re not competing for the Lombardi. That limits potential suitors, but there surely are teams out there that might make a strong run at Sherman.