Richard Sherman: ‘I’ll be ready for training camp, but [the 49ers are] going to be overly cautious either way’

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman posted some video running on the team’s practice field Wednesday, and it’s more notable than one would think at first glance. Sherman told ESPN’s Josina Anderson that it was the first time he was running on the field.

This marks the next big step in his rehab process. He will continue running during OTAs and minicamp, and ramping up to eventual football-related activities. He has said he thinks he’ll be good to go sometime in June, but he told Anderson the 49ers are being cautious regardless.

The 49ers will open training camp on approximately July 26th (15 days prior to their first preseason game). They will place Kentavius Street on the Active/Non-Football Injury List, and my guess is they will place Richard Sherman on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform List.

We’ve explained the rules plenty, but just to clarify, they would use the designation to preserve the option of giving him some rehab time. If they do not place him on the PUP list at the start of camp, they cannot place him there later. Once they take him off the PUP list, he cannot go back on it, but placing him there on day one gives them a little bit of time to make sure everything is good.

Sherman could be able to pass a physical on day one, but I suspect the team will want him to work with the training staff for some amount of time going through everything and being extra certain he’s ready to get back on the football field. I have zero doubt there will be at least one or two overreactions to him potentially opening camp on the PUP list.

And until he gets back into football action, we won’t know exactly where that stands. Running on the field is a step in the rehab process, but there is plenty more improvement needed to get back into game action. So far so good, but we’ll see what late July and early August bring.