I’m not one to normally use the term “shocked” when referring to sports because it tends to come off as over-dramatic but that’s exactly the feeling after news broke out Wednesday evening that the Carolina Panthers had rescinded the franchise tag on Josh Norman, making him an unrestricted free agent. No one could have predicted Carolina letting go of their star cornerback for absolutely nothing. What Carolina is thinking is anyone’s guess. Maybe they believe that the NFL Draft is filled with enough talent this year at cornerback that they can draft one at a much cheaper option.
Even so, their move is quite puzzling. Players like Norman don’t come around often. Yes, he may have slipped through the cracks, so to speak, coming out of college but Norman is one of the top shutdown corners in this league and will be very tough to replace. Norman led the league last year allowing only a 54.0 passer rating (Pro Football Focus). How a team who was so close to a Super Bowl title wouldn’t keep him on for at least one more season remains a mystery.
After last season’s Super Bowl loss to the Broncos, it was assumed that Carolina would find a way to lock up Norman for the long haul. At worst, they would franchise him for the 2016-2017 season. They did exactly that but after it was apparent that both sides were well apart from ever reaching a long-term deal, Carolina felt it was best for the organization and Norman to rescind that tag. I don’t know about the organization but it was surely best for Norman, who already has up to 10 teams interested in signing him. Panthers General Manager Dave Gettleman announced that the organization felt it was best for the Panthers to spend the extra money on some of their other players and needs of position. He went as far as saying that he could do a lot with the money left over from Norman’s franchise tag (ESPN).
It’s reported that Norman and his agent initially asked Carolina to look into trading him. Gettleman claimed that once they figured out that a trade was not a possibility is when they decided to let Norman go. It’s crazy to think that Carolina couldn’t find a trade partner when there are a boatload of teams desperate for a shutdown corner. It makes one wonder if they even looked at all.
On paper, it’s clear that Carolina made a mistake here. Results are shown on the football field, however, and it’s still a long time until September.
There’s still the draft to find a replacement plus the compensatory pick they would receive next season for losing Norman. But who’s going to capitalize on that mistake?
Norman may not have been the most prized player coming out of Coastal Carolina as an unknown 5th round pick but now he’s one of the hottest free agents to ever hit the market. At just 28 years old Norman has at least a few good seasons left in him and well-deserving of the long-term deal he is seeking. As mentioned, up to 10 teams have shown interest in Norman since the news broke out including the 49ers, Bucs, Dolphins, and Redskins. Other teams like the Steelers and Jets have shown interest as well but don’t appear to have the cap space to really make a play for him. With that said, however, teams can always find a way to make the necessary cap space.
At the moment, it appears that the 49ers are the front-runners to ink Josh Norman to a deal. If that’s true, and Norman’s interest is mutual, then winning is not Norman’s number one priority. Sorry Niner fans but even with Norman San Francisco would not be expected to make any noise this season, especially in a tough NFC West division. That’s not to say teams like the Bucs, Dolphins, or Redskins are Super Bowl contenders themselves, but a player like Norman could help them make playoff pushes. Washington did make the playoffs last season. If they were able to sign Josh Norman they could have their sights on something bigger.
Regardless of where Norman decides to sign, his decision is expected to be made quickly. The NFL Draft is only a week away and Norman will be expected to make his decision beforehand. One of the deepest positions in this draft is corner. A team that’s looking to take a corner early in the draft with cap room is most likely where Norman will wind up. Norman will be looking for a salary at about $16 million per season and, more importantly, in a long-term deal. Contrary to popular belief, Norman’s more concerned with team fit, ownership, and coaching, although he still wants to be PAID in the process.
It will be exciting in the meantime trying to figure out where Norman will land. It’s not impossible that Norman re-signs with the Panthers but it’s highly improbable. The solid Carolina defense will no doubt miss their top corner. Carolina seems confident in their abilities to replace Norman. We’ll see. No matter, because each time the opposing team throws for a touchdown against the Panthers it will be tough not to think what would’ve happened on that play if they still had Josh Norman.
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