Sherman wants Seahawks DBs to be 'best unit to ever put cleats on'

Richard Sherman has not let up on his expectations for the Seattle Seahawks defensive backs.

After admittedly having a "banged up" season in 2016, Sherman is expecting a bounce back season from the "Legion of Boom". Seattle still had the eighth-ranked pass defense and fifth-ranked overall defense last season, but that wasn't up to Sherman's standards - he wants better.

"It's always the same challenge," Sherman told SiriusXM NFL Radio on Wednesday. "We're always raising the bar. We always want to be the best unit to ever put cleats on. And that's the standard and that's every day, every play, every tackle. That's why … we don’t subscribe to the notion that corners just kind of go out there and you sweep the legs or nothing.

"No, you come up there and you put your body on him. And every single person that steps on that field, all 11 on defense, better be able and willing to put your body on somebody if that’s what the play requires. And that’s what we do every year."

Sherman fought through an MCL sprain through the season while Kam Chancellor was out four games due to injury and Earl Thomas went down for the year with a broken leg in Week 13. Sherman wants to warn fans and critics that 2016 was just a blip on the unit's progress.

“We had a few games where we were off and I think ended up ranked like two or three," said Sherman. "And (people) were like, 'Oh, my God! Look how terrible they've become. They’ve fallen so far from the top.' It’s like, well, yeah, I appreciate you holding us to our own standard, but..."