National Football League

Richard Sherman likely to follow Dez Bryant against Cowboys

Published Oct. 29, 2015 7:35 p.m. ET

foxsports

RENTON, Wash. (AP) If Dez Bryant is able to play this week for the Dallas Cowboys, it's likely he'll be seeing a whole lot of Richard Sherman.

Sherman has been called upon to trail the opposition's biggest receiving threats far more frequently this season. Bryant is one of the league's most explosive receivers when healthy and could be another target of Sherman's increased attention.

''It would be a lot of fun,'' Sherman said. ''He's a great player. We have had some pretty cool battles over four, five years. It'd be fun.''

The Seahawks have typically kept their defense in set positions with Sherman at left cornerback and a combination of Brandon Browner, Byron Maxwell and others holding down the right cornerback spot. However, Sherman was asked to trail Bryant a year ago after Maxwell was knocked out of the game due to an injury. Sherman held Bryant to just two catches for 39 yards after the switch, though he was called for a pair of penalties as well.

This season, Sherman trailed A.J. Green of the Cincinnati Bengals after Cary Williams struggled to cover him in the first quarter. He followed Torrey Smith of the San Francisco 49ers all game in last week's 20-3 victory.

Green caught four passes for 48 yards against Sherman while Smith was held without a catch.

Sherman also moved inside to cover slot receivers in passing situations in the team's season opener against the St. Louis Rams.

''It's strength on strength ultimately,'' defensive coordinator Kris Richard said. ''It's just good coaching in our minds in regards to taking our best guy and putting it on their best guy and at the end of the day we'll see who comes out victorious.''

Safety Earl Thomas said he puts ''both hands up'' in favor of Sherman moving around the field.

''It's a clear conscience for me when he's moving around and he's following the No. 1 guy,'' Thomas said. ''I don't have to worry about the No. 1 guy.''

Sherman has received criticism from peers and analysts alike because he rarely followed a team's best wide receiver around the field. Darrelle Revis and Patrick Peterson were among the players to slight Sherman for not tracking a team's top receiving threat.

Sherman always brushed off those comments by saying he's doing what his coaches ask of him. The message from Sherman remains the same now that he is being asked to move more frequently.

''I can't act like I care now when I acted like I didn't care before. I really didn't care then, and I still don't,'' Sherman said. ''Like I said, I'm all about helping our team and doing what I have to do to help our team win ball games. If that's what I'm asked to do, that's what I'll do.''

---

Online:

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL