Veteran cornerback Richard Sherman is flying to Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday to visit and work out for the Buccaneers, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday.
Sherman, who has been in discussions with the Bucs for several weeks, needs a week or two from the time he signs with his next team until he’s ready to play, sources told ESPN’s Ed Werder.
Coach Bruce Arians had previously said that general manager Jason Licht had reached out to Sherman to gauge his interest.
NFL Network first reported that Sherman would be visiting the Bucs.
Sherman, 33, would provide valuable experience to one of the league’s youngest defensive backfields. He’s also a sure tackler, which has been an issue for the Bucs’ defense thus far this season.
The Bucs are without Sean Murphy-Bunting, who was placed on injured reserve with a dislocated right elbow Sept. 20. He also serves as the team’s nickelback.
Jamel Dean, the team’s third cornerback, left Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams with a knee injury in the first quarter and did not return. Results of his MRI have yet to be announced, but a source told ESPN’s Jenna Laine that the injury is not serious but could take some time to heal.
The team also signed cornerbacks Rashard Robinson and Pierre Desir to the practice squad.
Robinson was elevated for Sunday’s game, but Dee Delaney, mostly a special teams performer, got the nod. Arians praised Delaney after the game, but the entire secondary struggled against Rams receivers Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Tyler Higbee and DeSean Jackson, surrendering 343 passing yards and four touchdowns to Matthew Stafford.
Sherman is dealing with legal issues and has a pretrial hearing scheduled for Friday in Washington. He was arrested in July in connection with an situation at the home of his wife’s parents in Redmond, Washington, and was charged with five misdemeanors, including two counts of domestic violence — criminal trespass in the second degree and malicious mischief in the third degree — as well as resisting arrest, driving while under the influence and reckless endangerment of roadway workers.
Sherman pleaded not guilty to all five charges and said in a statement on Twitter he was “deeply remorseful” for his actions and “behaved in a manner I’m not proud of.”
In February, King County prosecutors and the sheriff also obtained an “extreme risk protection order” for Sherman, barring him from having guns after a judge determined he posed a danger to himself and others. Details of the case were sealed.
ESPN’s Jenna Laine contributed to this report.
