It’s the end of an era in Seattle. On Friday, the Seahawks released stalwart cornerback Richard Sherman, who for many years was one of the key cornerstones of the franchise. Sherman, who is a four-time Pro Bowler, is coming off a season that ended prematurely due to a torn Achilles. Owed $11 million for the upcoming season, the Seahawks have decided to move on from the talented-but-outspoken defensive back.
Although the Seahawks have made some significant changes to their defense this offseason – trading away defensive lineman Michael Bennett and releasing cornerbacks Sherman and Jeremy Lane – their Super Bowl odds remain unchanged. The Seahawks were at 20/1 to win the Super Bowl before and that’s where they’ll be after.
Odds To Win Super Bowl 53
Arizona Cardinals +6000
Atlanta Falcons +1500
Baltimore Ravens +4000
Buffalo Bills +4000
Carolina Panthers +2500
Chicago Bears +10000
Cincinnati Bengals +10000
Cleveland Browns +25000
Dallas Cowboys +2000
Denver Broncos +2000
Detroit Lions +3000
Green Bay Packers +800
Houston Texans +2000
Indianapolis Colts +4000
Jacksonville Jaguars +2500
Kansas City Chiefs +2500
Los Angeles Chargers +3000
Los Angeles Rams +1500
Miami Dolphins +6500
Minnesota Vikings +1200
New England Patriots +500
New Orleans Saints +2000
New York Giants +4000
New York Jets +10000
Oakland Raiders +3000
Philadelphia Eagles +500
Pittsburgh Steelers +1000
San Francisco 49ers +2000
Seattle Seahawks +2000
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3500
Tennessee Titans +3000
Washington Redskins +6000
Odds courtesy of BetDSI Sportsbook.
It seems that the reason for the odds remaining the same is that the Seahawks are still viewed roughly about the same with or without their defensive pieces. That suggests that the oddsmakers have a lot of faith in head coach Pete Carroll and his ability to rebuild the defense. The Seahawks – at least of this moment – still have difference-makers at each level, including safety Earl Thomas and Bobby Wagner, and should be able to add some quality young pieces around them with the freed up resources.
The other factor here is that the Seahawks could focus on improving their offense. Russell Wilson has been hung out to dry on that side of the ball and the Seahawks have done surprisingly well with no running game and no offensive line. If they can start to put some real building blocks around him, the Seahawks might be just as good as they were last year – albeit in a different way.
As far as where Sherman is expected to land, he is now a free agent and will have plenty of options. Although he’s past his prime (slightly) and is coming off a serious injury, there is a big market for cornerbacks of his caliber. The teams expected to be on the short list are the New England Patriots, Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys could be an intriguing fit as they love big personalities and big playmakers, and their defense does need some help. Keep an eye on the newswires in the coming weeks as Sherman starts making visits.
