New Bucs cornerback Richard Sherman was drawn to Tampa Bay not just for the chance to play in Todd Bowles’ defensive scheme, but also because of Bruce Arians’ offense. No, Sherman, a former wide receiver at Stanford, isn’t going to be catching any passes from Tom Brady – outside of any interceptions in practice.

Yet it was Brady who first reached out to Sherman after the team’s 31-29 win over Dallas in the season opener and asked him to join the Bucs. And the fact that the Bucs averaged over 30 points per game last year and are averaging over 34 points per game to start off 2021 isn’t lost on Sherman, either. Sherman battled against Arians’ Cardinals for years when he played in Seattle (2013-17).

Bucs CB Richard Sherman and CB Carlton Davis III – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“Bruce, he calls a very aggressive game,” Sherman said on his podcast on Pro Football Focus. “He always calls a very aggressive game. It’s either stretch right, stretch left or a bomb. When you play him that’s usually what you prepare for. He’s making the corners tackle. He’s pushing the ball vertically and stretching the defense as much as he can. Obviously with Tom – Tom can do it all. He can hit intermediate. He can 5-yard you all the way down with a 15-play drive, 85 yards. So I think it’s a great combination now. Obviously it was great enough to win a Super Bowl. I’m looking forward to being even closer to see what he draws up.”

The 33-year old Sherman is trying to bounce back from a calf injury that limited him to just five games last year in San Francisco and regain his form from the 2019 season. That year PFF gave Sherman a 90 grade in pass coverage.

One of the ways that Sherman, who is expected to start for Tampa Bay in Sunday night’s game at New England, can return to playing at a high level is going up against the Bucs’ talented receiving corps. As they say, iron sharpens iron.

“It’s going to be fun, and obviously that’s what you need,” Sherman said. “They have so many different types of receivers – that’s really helpful. Sometimes you get on teams where you have great receivers, but they are all the same body type. You either have all quick, fast guys or all big, strong fast guys. They have everything. They have Antonio [Brown], they’ve got [Chris] Godwin – two much different bodies.

“Then they have Mike [Evans], who is a much different body. And they’ve got Scotty [Miller], who is a much different body type – and Gronk (Rob Gronkowski), who is one of the best tight ends to ever play the game, with a different body. All of those looks get you accustomed to what you are going to see in a game. It gets you the best looks you can possibly get, and really gets you prepared. So I’m looking forward to that. I’m looking forward to that, and getting some releases in. And also just the communication between receivers and corners gets you better.”

Bucs WR Mike Evans and Seahawks CB Richard Sherman – Photo by: Mark Lomoglio/PR

Evans, who has battled Sherman several times in his career when the 6-foot-3, 205-pound cornerback played for Seattle and San Francisco, is exciting to go up against the five-time Pro Bowler in practice for the rest of the 2021 season.

“I had some battles with him,” Evans said. “I mean he’s an all-time great player. Very smart player. One of the smartest players to ever play the game, and I think he’s going to help us a lot.”

Injuries to Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean, who are both out for Sunday night’s game in New England, and Carlton Davis III, who is questionable with an abdominal injury, have made it necessary to start Sherman after just three practices. But Sherman got off to a great start in Tampa Bay, recording his first practice interception in pewter and red.