Richard Sherman's agreement to join the San Francisco 49ers reverberated across league circles, and you can count one future Hall of Famer who is empathetic toward the veteran cornerback.
Without an agent, the former Seattle Seahawks star reportedly signed an incentive-laden three-year deal worth up to $39 million, and Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas feels Sherman may have been taken advantage of by the 49ers.
Related: Sherman admits feeling 'vengeful' toward Seahawks
"You really feel bad for Richard Sherman, but this is clearly a case of ego getting in the way of his pocket book. He got absolutely crushed on this contract while working as his own agent," Thomas tweeted Monday.
Sherman will earn $2 million in base salary for the 2018 season, and will get a $3-million signing bonus along with a $2-million roster bonus on the first day of training camp. However, he'll gain $1 million in incentives if he makes the Pro Bowl and another $2 million for All-Pro honors. As such, Thomas believes the 49ers secured a low-risk, high-reward scenario for themselves.
Betting on yourself would be taking a 1 year contract, making pro bowl, then hitting free agency next year. This deal is bad because if he performs poorly, he gets cut and doesn’t make his worth this year; but worst of all, if he plays lights out, the 49ers have’em cheap in ‘19 https://t.co/ukq3KURlOo
— Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) March 12, 2018
Negotiating a contract without the assistance of an agent is a point of pride for the four-time Pro Bowler. Time will tell if Sherman secured a favorable deal for himself, but Thomas' analysis could give impending free agents something to think about ahead of their own contract discussions.
