The San Francisco 49ers knew they were | general | Forum

SANTA CLARA http://www.cowboyscheapauthent…..rsey-cheap , Calif. (AP) — getting a standout cornerback when they signed Richard Sherman in March.It turns out they also got a coach and an ambassador.This season hardly has gone according to plan for the 49ers, but the way Sherman has meshed with his new team and become a steadying veteran influence has to be considered a success.Young defensive players have leaned on him for advice. Even players on offense pick his brain. And if San Francisco’s front office enlists his assistance when it comes to luring free agents this offseason, Sherman says he’s ready to hit the recruiting trail.The three-time All-Pro never has experienced this much losing — he won a Super Bowl with Seattle and enjoyed six winning seasons in his seven with the Seahawks.But Sherman, who signed a three-year contract with San Francisco that can pay him as much as $39 million, believes the 49ers (4-11) are headed in the right direction.“I knew what I was coming into,” he said Thursday. “A bunch of young guys, you try to relate to them, try to bring them together. Get them to play good ball. … You can do your best to lead them the best you know how, and that’s what I tried to do.”The stats wouldn’t suggest the 30-year-old Sherman has stood out this season. He enters Sunday’s season finale against the Los Angeles Rams still seeking his first interception, and he has just four passes defended in the 13 games he’s played.But that’s largely because teams avoid throwing in his direction, opting instead to target younger cornerbacks such as Ahkello Witherspoon or rookie Tarvarius Moore.Sherman’s value has come through in subtle ways for a defense that ranks 10th in the league, allowing 344.6 total yards per game.“I can’t speak highly enough of him,” Moore said. “Whenever you ask him a question, he’s always there to help. So I can definitely say he’s been a blessing Connor McGovern Jersey , not just for the young guys, but everybody in that room. It’s kind of like having another coach on the field right there with you.”Hearing such talk might come as a surprise, considering Sherman has earned a reputation for being outspoken and sometimes combative.He was ejected from last Sunday’s loss to Chicago for fighting, though that only came after Bears players, upset about a late hit, went after 49ers safety Marcell Harris. Two Chicago players got ejected as well.Aside from that incident, Sherman has avoided making headlines for the wrong reasons.“I don’t really care about public perception,” Sherman said. “But what my teammates think about me, and how I carry myself in the locker room, means a great deal. I care very little about the opinions of people outside the locker room.”Sherman has missed two games with minor injuries, but he’s relieved to have made a comeback from a ruptured right Achilles that ended his 2017 season after nine games.Could he possibly help recruit safety Earl Thomas, a former Seattle teammate who will be a free agent this summer?“Would I love to play with (Thomas)? Sure. I would love to,” Sherman said. “I’m sure he’ll have a plethora of opportunties, but I’m sure we’re gonna throw our hat in the ring.”NOTES: Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (calf) didn’t practice Thursday Khari Willis Jersey , and tight end Garrett Celek (concussion), linebackers Mark Nzeocha (groin) and Malcolm Smith (Achilles), cornerback K’Waun Williams (knee) and center Erik Magnuson (hamstring) were limited. THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) — Losing consecutive games for the first time as coach of the Los Angeles Rams hasn’t dampened Sean McVay’s sense of humor.McVay joked he hasn’t paid attention to the media coverage of Sunday night’s 30-23 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles “because I don’t want you guys to hurt my feelings.”Instead, McVay is concerned with getting the Rams out of their first prolonged slump in his two seasons.“You know you have a say in that this story is not finalized,” McVay said Monday night. “They don’t end the season after 14 games. And we know for sure that we have got two left in this regular season and one playoff game. What we don’t know is when that playoff game is going to be. We do know it’s going to be at the Coliseum, and that’s all we’re guaranteed right now.”McVay believes the Rams (11-3) showed signs of a turnaround by giving themselves a chance to tie the game on the final play, an incomplete pass by Jared Goff for Josh Reynolds. Goff was 17 of 23 passing for 179 yards in the fourth quarter against the Eagles after going 55 of 108 for 547 yards with one touchdown and seven interceptions over the previous 11 quarters.What bogged down the offense as the Eagles built a 17-point lead, McVay said, were breakdowns and penalties that put the Rams in difficult down-and-distance situations. The 32-year-old coach was pleased his team still had a chance to win in spite of those issues.“You could feel that momentum and, really, that clock ran out on us at the end of the game,” McVay said. “But in spite of all the different things that we went through, you can’t say these guys didn’t continue to fight Josh Allen Jersey , scratch and claw to put ourselves in a position to try to win a game. Credit to the Eagles for being able to get it done, but we’re going to learn from this and we’re not going to allow it to define our season. I do believe that and I know that.”Another confidence-booster for McVay is the health of Todd Gurley, who sustained a knee injury against Philadelphia that did not turn out to be serious. McVay said Gurley is dealing with inflammation and will be day-to-day going into the game at Arizona on Sunday. Gurley had 12 carries for 48 yards against the Eagles.McVay said he would be cautious with Gurley, who leads the NFL with 21 touchdowns and is second in the league in rushing yards. However, the chance to secure a first-round playoff bye by winning the final two games would factor into whether McVay would use Gurley against the Cardinals (3-11) if he is healthy.Complicating matters is the shoulder injury Justin Davis sustained against Philadelphia, leaving rookie John Kelly as the only healthy running back on the roster. Davis is also day-to-day, McVay said.“I think you really just take it one day at a time,” McVay said. “These games are important for us. We’ve got to do a good job of getting ready for a tough division opponent at their place and having a good week of preparation.”NOTES: McVay met with CB Marcus Peters, who had a verbal altercation with a fan during the game Sunday. McVay did not say if Peters would face internal discipline. “He knows that we’ve got to be better in those situations and can’t allow whatever’s going on, in terms of that dialogue, to affect our ability to be focused on what is going on during the game,” McVay said.