The Herd with Colin Cowherd Richard Sherman Podcast - Why Seahawks PAID Jaxon Smith-Njigba $42M, 49ers-Trent Duffy drama, OBJ next team | Richard Sherman
Mar 30, 2026
Richard Sherman, former All-Pro cornerback and Super Bowl champ turned analyst, breaks down Seattle’s cap craft to make Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s $42M deal workable. He explains roster moves that bought the space. He discusses shifting expectations after a Super Bowl, why role players like Jake Bobo matter, Devin Witherspoon’s looming extension, 49ers cap flexibility with Trent Williams, flag football skill differences, and Odell Beckham Jr.'s outlook.
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Seahawks Made JSN Deal Financially Practical
- The Seahawks converted Jaxon Smith-Njigba's record $42.15M headline number into an effectively lower annual cost by structuring the deal over its lifetime.
- Richard Sherman explains the contract averages closer to $32M/year across years, making it reasonable for an Offensive Player of the Year trending up.
Addition By Subtraction Opened JSN Window
- Seattle sacrificed depth (DK Metcalf, Kenneth Walker III, Boye Mafe, Coby Bryant) to free cap space for JSN and future extensions.
- Sherman says drafting well and trusting depth/replacements is John Schneider's playbook to sustain talent despite big extensions.
Prioritize Early Structured Deals Over Franchise Tags
- Avoid heavy franchise-tag reliance; structure deals early with void years to preserve cap flexibility and lower future dead money.
- Sherman highlights Seattle's low dead-money approach and using early long-term deals to manage cap over time.