SANTA CLARA, Calif.

Richard Sherman has been around the NFL long enough that playing in exhibition games might not seem to be of critical importance.

But after going more than nine months without game action following a season-ending Achilles tendon injury and joining a new team with the San Francisco 49ers, Sherman is eager to get back on the field.

He said Wednesday he plans to play in San Francisco’s exhibition game at Indianapolis on Saturday in his first action for the 49ers at cornerback after spending his first seven seasons playing for NFC West rival Seattle.

Sherman had hoped to play earlier this preseason as he worked his way back from the Achilles tendon injury, but he strained his hamstring early in training camp.

Sherman has faced questions about what kind of player he can be at age 30 coming off a significant injury that led to his release by the Seahawks. Those only grew louder during the opening week of training camp when video came out of Sherman getting badly beaten deep by sprinter Marquise Goodwin. Coach Kyle Shanahan used that video as a teaching tool, praising Sherman to the rest of the team for his aggressiveness and willingness to test out his injured leg against one of the faster receivers in the league during practice.

Sherman said wasn’t bothered by outside criticism and appreciated Shanahan’s support, comparing practice to writing a “rough draft” and saying his product will be polished by the time games start next month.

“You’re allowed to make mistakes in practice,” he said. “You’re allowed to get beat and stumble, because then you figure out what works and what doesn’t work. If you find something that works you keep using it and put it into your bag for game day.”

Cowboys

ARLINGTON, TEXAS — Dallas Cowboys center Travis Frederick said Wednesday he has been diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder that causes weakness in various parts of the body, and the four-time Pro Bowl player isn’t sure on a timetable for a return.

Frederick said he has received two treatments for Guillain-Barre Syndrome over the past 48 hours and that the treatments will continue for several days.

The 27-year-old Frederick has started all 83 games, including three playoff games, since the Cowboys drafted him late in the first round in 2013. That streak is likely in jeopardy with the opener 2 1/2 weeks away, Sept. 9 at Carolina.

Frederick was the second of three first-round picks in a span of four years, a group that anchors what is considered one of the NFL’s best offensive lines.

Dallas is banking on a healthy offensive line in front of 2016 NFL rushing leader Ezekiel Elliott, with the Cowboys hopeful that quarterback Dak Prescott and a largely unproven group of receivers can feed off a powerful running game.

Two years ago, Frederick signed a $56 million, six-year extension that at the time made him the highest-paid center in the NFL. He’s now fourth on that list.

Jets

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets have released kicker Cairo Santos, a day after claiming Jason Myers off waivers from Seattle.

The team signed free agent cornerback Darrelle Revis to the active roster with its corresponding move Wednesday.

No, the seven-time All-Pro is not returning. The one-day contract he signed last month to retire as a member of the Jets was officially submitted since New York had a spot on its 90-man roster.

Colts

INDIANAPOLIS — An offthe air racial slur prompted the immediate retirement of longtime Indianapolis Colts radio voice Bob Lamey last weekend, team officials and Lamey’s attorney confirmed Wednesday.

Local attorney James Voyles issued a statement acknowledging the 80-year-old Lamey used “inappropriate” language during a conversation with a friend at a local radio station and apologized immediately.

“Bob does want to acknowledge that while repeating a story while off-the-air last week to a friend at a local radio station, he used an inappropriate word that had been used in the story,” Voyles’ statement read. “Bob immediately apologized to the people involved for the comment and would hope that this error in judgment would not tarnish his long-held reputation in the sports community where he has been known as an accurate and passionate reporter.”

He came close to uttering the same word during Indy’s come-from-behind win over New England in the 2006 AFC championship game after running back Dominic Rhodes lost the ball near the goal line.

“He fumbled the freakin’ football,” Lamey said before realizing teammate Jeff Saturday recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown.

Lamey served in that capacity for 31 seasons, from 1984-91 and again from 1995-2017 and was a fixture on local airwaves since the mid-1970s.

He broadcast games for the city’s hockey team, the WHA’s Racers, from 1974-77 — finishing those duties just before Wayne Gretzky joined the team. He served as the play-by-play man for the Indiana Pacers from 1977-84, and he also was part of the Indianapolis 500’s radio broadcast team for years.

For 23 years, Lamey served as the sports director for WIBC radio, and in 2008, Lamey was inducted into the Indiana Sports Broadcasters and Writers Hall of Fame in 2008.