Sherman foresees switch to safety in effort to extend career

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman doesn't see retirement when he peeks into his crystal ball, but the 30-year-old does see a position change intended to prolong his career.

"I think 35 (years old) is probably my cutoff," he told reporters Thursday, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. "They'd have a hard time getting me out of the bed at 35 to go play, so I think I've got about four or five more (seasons) in me. At some point, everybody makes the transition to safety if you're smart enough to play that game, and I'll probably do that in a couple of years or whenever the team needs."

In his first campaign with the 49ers, Sherman is still performing at an above-average level out wide, according to Pro Football Focus. But the longtime Seattle Seahawk knows he'll eventually lose another step, and once he does he'll embrace a move.

"At corner, I've had games where I haven't got a look, thrown at," he said. "And at safety, you can see exactly where the ball goes and you can make an impact. You can get in on every tackle - just about - because you're in the center of everything, kind of like the Mike (linebacker). But it's something I'm definitely going to consider later in my career and hopefully I'll be just as good there."

Several elite defensive backs, including Hall of Famer Rod Woodson, switched from cornerback to safety late in their careers.

Sherman, a four-time Pro Bowler, has 24 tackles and four pass breakups this season, but he's still looking for his first interception.