Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks
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(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
The San Francisco 49ers couldn’t get by the Seattle Seahawks in their final two meetings of the 2025 NFL season. In the last regular-season contest, the Seahawks edged the Niners to win the division, and then in the divisional round of the playoffs, Seattle crushed the 49ers.
While San Francisco is looking to improve its team, it has been doing so with the Seahawks in mind, given that Seattle is the reigning Super Bowl champions and a team they will see twice a season.
On the April 10 edition of “The Richard Sherman Podcast,” former 49ers and Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman shared what the Niners need to improve if they want to close the gap between themselves and Seattle after the playoff loss as the 2026 NFL Draft approaches on April 23.
“You’ve got to get some attitude back on that offensive line,” Sherman said. “I think that’s where you’ve got to go, and I think that’s what the San Francisco 49ers have focused on this offseason, just whether it’s depth guys, versatile guys.
“I think they’re going to continue that in the draft, and they’re going to have to. And then you’re going to have to get some defensive linemen to combat this Seattle Seahawks defensive line that understands that they have been able to control you… “You haven’t been able to move them, whether it’s double-teamed or not. That means your guys aren’t strong enough.
“That means your centers and guards aren’t strong enough to move these men. They are taking on double teams and standing pat. You’ve seen it consistently in those games. If you can’t move them with the double team, you’ve got to get people in there who can.”
49ers Have ‘Intensified’ Talks With Trent Williams
One offensive lineman who has an uncertain future is Trent Williams. The veteran tackle and the 49ers remain at an impasse over a new deal. Williams is facing a cap hit of nearly $47 million after the team chose not to pick up his $10 million roster bonus.
Restructuring his contract could reduce that cap number and potentially add guaranteed money to a deal that currently has none,according to Pro Football Talk. Moreover, the Niners appear ready to ramp up talks to ensure this situation doesn’t linger any longer than necessary.
On March 29, the SF Standard’s David Lombardi shared the latest on the 49ers’ plans to resolve the situation with their veteran offensive lineman.
“John Lynch says that 49ers’ talks with Trent Williams have ‘intensified’ over the past week,”Lombardi wrote on X. “He thinks ‘we’re on the precipice of something good.'”
In 2025, Williams played 996 snaps for the 49ers, allowing four sacks and eight hits while committing four penalties.Pro Football Focus gave him an overall grade of 91.5, ranking him third among all offensive tackles.
Furthermore, his run-blocking grade was 92.8, while his pass-blocking grade was 79.9. Williams gave up 32 total pressures in pass protection, including four sacks and eight hits.
Richard Sherman Weighs In on Trent Williams Situation
Amid this concerning issue, Sherman recently weighed in on whether San Francisco would be willing to cut ties with Williams this offseason.
“I think they’ve gotten frustrated, not with Trent Williams, but just with the dead‑money situation that they’ve run into year after year,” Sherman said onthe March 26 edition of “The Richard Sherman Podcast.”
“I think they’ve been among the top dead‑money teams for the last few years because of Javon Hargrave’s contract,Deebo Samuel, and so many other guys that they’ve had to part ways with for whatever reason.
“They’re trying to get away from that. I don’t think they want to throw more dead money into the future. I think they’re trying to take their licks now. Again, I haven’t talked to John [Lynch] or Kyle [Shanahan], but I obviously don’t see them getting rid of Trent Williams.”