© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
SANTA CLARA — Barring a calf injury that has sidelined Richard Sherman for two games this season, he has been every bit as terrific as the 49ers expected when they signed him to a three-year deal in March.
They aren’t interested in losing that.
On Thursday afternoon, Sherman was asked whether the 49ers have approached him about a potential trade. The deadline is 1 p.m. next Tuesday. Sherman said they have not, then joked they had have contacted his agent — which is himself.
“(They) haven’t expressed anything,” Sherman said. “They said since I have came here that I was part of the future plans, at least for the next couple years. That’s the way we see it.”
Around this time last year, the 49ers’ season changed entirely when they traded a second-round pick for Jimmy Garoppolo. After five straight wins to close the season, he signed a then-record-breaking five-year, $137.5 million contract with the team. In a much lower-profile move, the 49ers also traded wide receiver Rashard Robinson for a fifth-round draft pick prior to last year’s deadline.
The 49ers have not made any transactions so far. And it would be surprising if they traded away Sherman, one of their best players and only proven cornerback on the roster.
Back in March, Sherman signed a three-year deal worth up to $39 million. The way his contract is structured rewards Sherman if he plays well and stays healthy. He earns money if he plays at least 90 percent of snaps in a season, makes the Pro Bowl, and is named to an All-Pro team. His contract is essentially a one-year deal with team options in the final two years.
So far, Sherman has given himself a chance to earn those bonuses, should his health hold up. He missed Week 7 and Week 5 due to a lingering calf injury. But he has been statistically the top cornerback in the league, with opposing offenses almost completely avoiding his side of the field.
One of the main reasons why Sherman signed with the 49ers centered upon his confidence that this team would win now. Season-ending knee injuries to Garoppolo and Jerick McKinnon help explain San Francisco’s tailspin of five straight losses entering Week 8. Sherman has expressed frustration over the 1-6 start, which he has never experienced as a professional. He has lamented the defensive breakdowns that have plagued the 49ers defense.
But he has also emerged as one of the team’s leaders, and he has taken pride in nurturing the younger players. He was one of five guys the 49ers appointed as team captain earlier this week.
The frustrating events of this season have not seemed to affect Sherman’s long-term commitment to the 49ers, and vice versa.