Richard Sherman has been cleared to practice for the San Francisco 49ers at the start of training camp.

Sherman joined San Francisco after getting released by rival Seattle following season-ending surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon. He was unable to participate in the offseason program but pronounced himself 100 percent when he reported to camp Wednesday and will take part in the team's first practice Thursday.

Sherman earned a $2 million bonus for passing his physical under a contract he negotiated himself following the injury that ended his season last November. Sherman consulted with former Lakers great Kobe Bryant on what it takes to come back from that kind of injury and always believed he would be ready for the start of camp.

"It was a grind Zach Werenski Jersey ," he said. "But I think it was more like one of those things that you can look at optimistically or pessimistically. You can look at it as, 'Woe is me, why did this happen to me? Why do I have to go through this?' Or you could look at it as, 'I needed another great challenge and I needed another mountain to climb.' That's how I treated it."

Coach Kyle Shanahan said the initial plan for Sherman will be to practice the first two days, take a day off Saturday and then return to the field Sunday. The 49ers will take Monday off and the team will see how Sherman has responded to figure out what's next.

"We trust what he thinks and how he works," Shanahan said. "A lot of it is up to Richard. If he's being too aggressive, it's our job to pull him back. It's a matter of time when he gets back and we want to be smart with that."

Six players will open camp on injured lists, although most are expected back relatively soon. Guard Jonathan Cooper (knee), receiver Trent Taylor (back) and linebacker Dekoda Watson (calf) are on the physically unable to perform list.

Linebacker Malcolm Smith had a lower leg injury while working out on his own recently and will begin camp on the non-football injury list http://www.officialducks.com/authentic-adidas-antoine-vermette-jersey , along with rookies Marcell Harris and Kentavius Street, who were hurt when they were drafted.

But having a healthy Sherman to start camp is a big boost for a team full of optimism after winning the final five games last season under quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to finish 6-10.

The midseason acquisition of Garoppolo from New England turned around a struggling franchise that had lost 24 of 27 games before he took over as starter late last season.

"I don't think anybody is thinking about last year," Sherman said. "It was a 6-10 team that didn't make the playoffs. The few positives that come from last year, you can appreciate them, but it's still a 6-10 team that was picking in the top 10 in the draft. There's not a lot to celebrate. That's the way to approach it. Guys are hungry, they're excited to go out there and prove this is a great team that can win ballgames."

Sherman talking up the 49ers is an odd change following his years tormenting the franchise when he played for Seattle. He made the deflection that led to an NFC title-clinching interception in January 2014 before trash-talking Michael Crabtree and then memorably celebrated a Thanksgiving night win over the 49ers the following season by eating a turkey leg at midfield at Levi's Stadium.

Now he's mentoring young cornerbacks such as Ahkello Witherspoon, trading tips with Garoppolo, and quickly turning into a locker room leader.

"He's been pretty much the exact opposite of what I thought," veteran left tackle Joe Staley said. "I thought he was going to be annoying like he was annoying to me when he was in a Seahawks uniform but he's been nothing but great."

The 49ers are also hoping Sherman can get back close to his level of play during his prime in Seattle when he was perhaps the game's top shutdown cornerback. He was a first-team All-Pro for three straight seasons starting in 2012 Reilly Smith Jersey , leading the league with eight interceptions in 2013.

Sherman still was one of the better cornerbacks the past three seasons, ranking second in the NFL by allowing just 49.2 percent of passes against him to be caught, according to Pro Football Focus.

He said he feels re-energized after the injury.

"I'm not saying you get complacent, but you get bored," he said. "It's a routine. You go out there and play 16 games, play at a high level and do your best and you enjoy it, but sometimes when you throw a wrench in the plans kind of helps you. It wakes you up. It reignites the fire. It takes you back to where you need to be."

NOTES: Second-round WR Dante Pettis signed his rookie deal late Wednesday afternoon. ... The 49ers signed OL JP Flynn to a two-year deal and DLs Will Sutton and Cedric Thornton to one-year contracts. DB Don Jones, OL Jamar McGloster and DL Blaine Woodson were waived to make room on the roster.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell still hasn't signed a long-term contract, and he seems to be willing to go great lengths if the front office doesn't step up with an offer that pleases the three-time Pro Bowler.Appearing on SiriusXM Radio Authentic Alexander Wennberg Jersey , ESPN's Adam Schefter (h/t Ross Tucker), reported that Bell could be willing to sit out the first half of 2018 " if he doesn't get a long term deal done," because "the goal at that point would be to hit 2019 free agency healthy, not rack up another 400 touches."Bell is by far the most dominant and complete running back in the NFL, as he, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and star wide receiver Antonio Brown have formed the best offensive trio in the league. But Bell and the Steelers front office have often butted heads, as they continue to struggle in finding middle ground on a long-term contract.Bell would either play 2018 under the $14.5 million franchise tag, or else he could decide to hold out. The Steelers offense doesn't run the same engine without Bell, so he holds the leverage here as the front office tries to work on a deal that will entice him enough. The 26-year-old rushed for over 1 Alexander Kerfoot Jersey ,000 yards in 2014, 2016 and 2017, (he was limited to six games in 2015) and even racked up over 600 receiving yards in those seasons as well. No running back in the NFL can change a game as quickly as Bell, so it's easy to understand why he's willing to hold out until he gets paid top dollar.Pittsburgh's championship window is only open for so many more years, as Roethlisberger (now 36) and Brown (30), have just a handful of prime years left. With the AFC having more parity in 2018 and beyond, the Steelers have to try and keep the core together. As such, signing Bell long-term may be their only option. New England Patriots Elite Jerseys