Buccaneers' Richard Sherman needs 'at least a week of practice to really hone things in'

Sunday's prime-time matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium will be special for numerous reasons but probably not for the season debut of five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman, who was officially introduced as a new member of the Buccaneers secondary on Wednesday. 

According to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians suggested Sherman will be only a "break glass in case of emergency" option against New England, and the 33-year-old appeared to take himself out of the contest when speaking with the media. 

"It’s anybody’s guess. I need at least a week of practice to really hone things in, to play at the level that I’m capable of," Sherman explained. "I think it’d be foolish to expect me to come out this week and play at a super high level."

The Buccaneers host the Miami Dolphins on Oct. 10 and then play at the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 14. 

As for this Sunday, Tampa Bay starting quarterback Tom Brady is on track to set a new NFL career passing yards record the same night he faces the Patriots for the first time since he left New England via free agency to join the Bucs in March 2020.