Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider confirmed Wednesday that the team has discussed trading cornerback Richard Sherman.
"What you've seen lately in the news is real," Schneider said on the "Brock and Salk" show on 710 ESPN Seattle. "That's on both sides. It's just open communication. He knows what's going on. We know what's going on.
"I don't know if anything would ever happen. But like I tell people all the time, 98 percent of the things we're involved with, we don't follow through with. But at least we've opened that door, gone down the road and seen what's behind Door A or Door B."
Schneider said the trade conversations began in February at the scouting combine in Indianapolis. He said he has spoken to Sherman about the situation.
"This isn't a secret like it just came out of nowhere," Schneider said. "People find things out, and we're not going to lie to each other. We're not going to B.S. each other. It's going to be all laid out."
After Schneider's interview Wednesday, Sherman told MMQB.com: "Very little chance it happens, but both sides are listening. I honestly don't have much more to say about it than what I've already said. We have a great relationship. ... There is a lot of love and respect. There is no bad blood."
Asked whether the Seahawks are sending him a message by publicly discussing the possibility of a trade, Sherman told MMQB.com: "Not at all. I'm not in the least bit concerned about that."
Sherman said last week to 710 ESPN Seattle: "I wouldn't want to leave this city and my guys, but I understand it's a business and organizational philosophies change."
Sherman, 29, had two sideline blowups last season that were directed at coaches. The first involved defensive coordinator Kris Richard after the defense gave up a big play in Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons.
In Week 15, when the Seahawks attempted a pass play from the Los Angeles Rams' 1-yard line, Sherman went off on Carroll and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. Afterward, Sherman did not back down, referencing the team's Super Bowl XLIX loss in which Russell Wilson was intercepted in a similar situation.
At the owners' meetings in Phoenix last week, coach Pete Carroll said that the team has taken calls on Sherman.
"There have been some teams that have called, and so we've talked about it," Carroll said. "But he's extremely important to our football team. I don't see anything happening at all."
Sherman has two years remaining on his contract. He is due $11.431 million guaranteed in 2017 and $11 million in 2018. Sherman has never missed a game in his six-year NFL career and has made the Pro Bowl four seasons in a row.