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Rumors about Richard Sherman and the possibility of him signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been swirling since Sean Murphy-Bunting went down with an injury in Week 1.
In order to shore up the ranks, it has since been reported that Sherman will officially meet with the team on Tuesday to discuss a possible contract.
The Buccaneers are the defending Super Bowl champions and the favorites to repeat this season. But that does not mean they are without their flaws.
Even before the injury to Murphy-Bunting, their passing defense was a concern. Losing one of their best coverage players further complicates their issue. In that context, signing a free agent like Richard Sherman would be a huge step in the right direction to finding an immediate solution.
What Richard Sherman brings to the table for the Buccaneers
Even if Richard Sherman is a bit past his prime at this point, he is still a solid cornerback. His combination of intelligence and physicality made him such a special player for so many years.
Richard Sherman was one of the key pieces on the famous Legion of Boom defense in Seattle with the Seahawks. Widely considered one of the best corners of this decade, Sherman helped them win a Super Bowl, cementing his legacy.
Across 139 career games played, Richard Sherman has accumulated 36 interceptions and 115 passes defended. He is a natural leader who could really help the Buccaneers' young defensive backs in their development.
His football knowledge is impressive and his ability to diagnose offensive play is elite. He would be a valuable asset both on and off the field for the defensive backs group.
The defending champion Buccaneers are good at just about every aspect of the game. Their one weakness over the last two seasons has been defending the pass. They ranked 21st last season, allowing 246.6 passing yards per game. Alarmingly, they have regressed even further this season. Through three games so far, they rank last in the NFL with 338.3 passing yards allowed per game.
This deficiency in their otherwise elite team is why they are seriously considering signing Richard Sherman immediately. Even if he is no longer the best version of himself, Sherman is an instant upgrade to the Buccaneers secondary.
If they wrap up Sherman's signing and fix their coverage issues, the Buccaneers become an even more dangerous team than they already are, if that's possible.
