APThe de facto release of Josh Norman by the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday has dropped a top-tier free agent onto the market right before the NFL Draft.
Norman became an unrestricted free agent when the Panthers removed the franchise tag on Wednesday afternoon. While there is less money and cap space available now than at the start of free agency, there are still plenty of teams with enough cap space and flexibility to entertain the thought of signing the All-Pro cornerback.
According to Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer, eight or nine teams have already called about Norman. Teams interested include the San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The 49ers have over $52 million in salary cap space and could easily accommodate any salary for Norman. However, the Steelers only have $3.5 million in cap space and would have some work to do to bring Norman on board.
It’s rare that a player of Norman’s caliber is available on the free agent market this late in the process. It could change the draft as well. Teams that were expecting to have to draft a cornerback may decide to look at Norman as a proven veteran option instead. And the Panthers may have to look for a cornerback now as they clearly seem to have turned the page completely on Norman altogether.
Come on Jon Robinson! Make this the Titans most exciting offseason EVER
Why all the fuss? Dude is overrated and some team hopefully will not overpay for a mediocre player …
Get it done Steelers.
So one good season equals “proven veteran option”.
Well, alrighty then. Let the insanity commence.
“You can find a Cover 2 corner anywhere. I can go down to the 7-11 in Bloomington and get one.”
– Mike Zimmer
“Oh no, the Steelers! Oh no!!”
– said no one, ever
“Top-tier free agent”?
The dude was great for ONE season. One.
Buyer beware.
If he goes to SF, he rots in mediocrity due to the team around him. Besides, I bet he wouldn’t like Uncle Chippy’s smoothies anyway, and with getting to the SB last year, the bad taste of being so close is going to make him hungry to get back there. He won’t get that opportunity with SF.
If he goes to Pittsburgh, he makes that D that much better, and that team will be a contender in the AFC.
Better yet, come to Dallas Mr. Norman, and sure up that secondary and bring some swagger to Big D. Besides, I would LOVE to see him and Beckham going at it twice a season.
Go get it done, Jerrah!
Buyer beware! When a good organization lets a guy go, that should be a red flag. Ask the Boston Red Sox about Pablo Sandoval.
” Teams interested include the San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The 49ers have over $52 million in salary cap space and could easily accommodate any salary for Norman. However, the Steelers only have $3.5 million in cap space and would have some work to do to bring Norman on board.”
How much salary cap space do the Dolphins and Buccaneers have?
He would be a great pick up for Miami he would replace Brent Grimes.
The Giants also have the cap room. Adding Norman would make it a very entertaining locker room..
Lol at people saying Norman is overrated yet Jenoris Jenkins can get 14 mil a year from the Giants, has never had a season like Norman has, yet no one blinks an eye.
I don’t think he’s a top 3 CB, but he’s def top 10.
Some team is going to get a stud
And people need to quit with ‘a good organization just let him go’ line.
The Pats let Revis and Talib walk too, are those guys now scrubs or something?
If he signed with Dallas it would be the first game in nfl history to get flexed week 1. That game would replace the thurs night snore of an opener.
“You can find a Cover 2 corner anywhere. I can go down to the 7-11 in Bloomington and get one.”
– Mike Zimmer
Lovie Smith couldnt
Hilarious! Major props to the Panthers GM for his decision.
Carolina has never been accused of being a “good” franchise.
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tonebones says:
Apr 20, 2016 11:45 PM
Buyer beware! When a good organization lets a guy go, that should be a red flag. Ask the Boston Red Sox about Pablo Sandoval.
Bottom line about Carolina? Very good organization, strong coach, respected owner, run the proper way, but way too many prima donnas looking for their own deal. Could care less about TEAM. It showed in the SB. Am I lying?
Don’t be surprised if he heads to San Fran. Besides the fact that they have the cap space and the need, his former Coastal Carolina University teammate – Jerome Simpson – is on the 49ers and they share the same agency.
Likewise with the Dolphins and Matt Hazel as a fellow CCU Chanticleer.
Santa Clara still has all that money available because they were unable to get any FAs to go there ever since FA opened. Everyone knows its a dumpster fire there thats why all FAs worth a crap stayed away. If Josh wants a cash grab, thats the place to get it. As long as he likes a 4-12 record the next 4 years.
First-team All-Pro CB Josh Norman, a fan of the Bay Area, “There’s a lot of things that San Francisco has going on for themselves right now. It’s beautiful out here. It really is.”
“I like the Bay, I love it,” Norman said during Super Bowl week in February. “I woke up this morning and I open the curtains and I see the hills, the valleys and plains. So gorgeous.”
Make it happen Baalke!
Why SF is interested is beyond me. They are light years away from contending. Why waste that money on a position/player that won’t increase the W column this year or next.
And after thinking about that, it seems like a move right up Chipper’s alley. How did Maxwell work out?
He has been good for 3 years now..He just blew up the last year and a half.. I think His agent should be questioned. His best bet is Tampa or Pittsburgh.
Overated 1 season zone corner wonder. Whoever is stupid enough to throw the ridiculous amount of money at him he’s gonna want to sign will be severely disappointed.
The Panthers front office thought they could save a few bucks by playing hardball with Josh Norman’s contract. They figured that pulling his tag now would leave him out in the cold without have any suitors. He’d have to come crawling back and take a massive pay cut.
Instead of crawling back, Norman is telling the Panthers to have a nice day (as he strolls out the door with a new contract). So what if if ends up with the Niners? (who will definitely be losers again) — he’ll be making bank.
Reminds me of when John Elway tried to lowball Brock Osweiler. Osweiler waved goodbye and signed elsewhere! Elway was hilariously surprised and angry.
That’s what happens when senior management decide to play games with employee compensation.
The guy love the bay area guys who gt it better den us
I’m surprised the Steelers are even mentioned here. They don’t overpay for any FA’s, especially a head case who will be a distraction. There’s a reason why Carolina made this choice and they will be a better team for it. He’s a good DB, but not worth what he’s asking. He played in a system that allowed him to have a great season. With another team, he’ll be just another defender.
Yes! There is still time for Tannenbaum to do something so insanely stupid for the dolphins. We Will Once Again Win The Offseason. Then we will completely implode, collapse and show what a crap organization that we are during the season. But Headlines Damn It. That is When We Shine!
With the front seven the Panthers had last year even D.J. Hayden would be a Pro Bowler…O.K. maybe not Hayden.
I don’t see why their is so much interest in this guy. Norman had one good season, is clearly overrated and a product of the system that he played in. I will be highly disappointed if the Raiders mortgage their future for this guy and I’m almost glad that he becomes a free agent now since we have used up most of our cap space.
Dude got OLD to be hitting his first real payday. He’s made under 3 mil in his CAREER to date.
He can do better than what the franchise tag guaranteed. Way better. So, he should.
I don’t see any major red flags with Norman. I just think the Panthers locking up Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei long term are higher priorities for them.
Lol. Dolphins. Where’s that salary cap?
Watch TN get him!
Baalke’s just happy to get a call back from anyone’s agent these days. With all the holes in the Niners lineup it would be beyond stupid to waste Norman’s talent on a 4 win team for all that money.
Because the Rooney’s only employ “character” guys.
Yeah. Right.
@jsrdc…”rots away in mediocrity” in SF…says the cowboy fan…
I see what you did there!
He couldn’t get a long term deal because he’s 28, and may have overplayed his hand. Yet if you play like he did, having it be one year or not, you can’t blame him asking for the bank. We all would.
However with Carolina just letting him walk, that says to me he was asking for the bank whilst being a dink about it.
The Red Sux are not a good organization
Someone is going to sign this guy for stupid money. Maybe ONE great season means more great seasons but the panthers did the absolute right thing. They were pretty smart about Harvey too. Maybe that is why they have finally become one of the better teams in the nfk
C’mon Baalke!! I would forgive you for doing nothing in FA and letting Goff go. Norman was the real DPOY last year.
Overrated garbage.
Josh is a great up-and-coming CB, but not at Revis-level just yet, when you think about “sexy” Rex Ryan’s first 2 years with the Jets and how Revis was able to orchestrate those two back-to-back AFC Conference Final appearances — what did you think, that was all The Sanchize? lol Cam-LUKE & Co. will survive heartily without Josh. But can Josh survive/thrive (in general) without the Cam-rolina Panthers? (wink!)
No doubt. I have never understood why everybody gets excited when a player gets let go…. it ain’t because he is too good.
Kind of like when DeSean Jackson was dropped into the market a month into free agency, a few years back.
I’d be shocked if he came to Pittsburgh.
0% chance the Steelers sign this guy — they’d never give him an amount that he’s probably looking for. Smells like a 49ers or Dolphin overspend.
like we’re going to pay for a corner…lol
Game is won in the trenches. He’ll be making Deion-like decisions as soon as the deal is signed.
I’d stay as far away from this clown as possible.
What are the stillers gonna pay him with???
Primanti Sandwiches?!?!?
……………..he was a fool for not signing that 14 million dollar one year deal…he should fire his agent for giving him such poor advice. What he should have done is do the one year deal, have another great season and parley that into a multi year deal next year at the beginning of free-agency. But no, he got greedy & will be lucky to get anywhere close to 14 million a year from another team.
The Phins are a safe bet to overpay for him.
josh is a great player but no corner is worth 16 mill
The steelers are a contender with or without him
He will be a Pittsburgh Steeler before the close of business tomorrow
And people saying he’s mediocre wouldn’t know a football if I bounced one off their heads
Overrated
Would like the Ravens to pick this guy up. we need a corner bad.
Get ‘er done Ozzie.
One good year does not make you a Revis/Shermann…With that said SF and Baalke the GM need to make some kind of splash. I bet they sign him for 13+mil and both the team and fans will regret it…Overated
Agree with some comments here that he is somewhat unproven.
Still, better than anything the Steelers have in the secondary right now.
Hey cowboy fan, you may want to look at the draft order before you comment on the state of the Niners. Y’all are a broken collarbone from the first pick next year. Norman would fit in just fine in SF and even said as much himself just a couple of months ago.
He’s not going to the Steelers. Give me a break. Bell, DeCastro, AB have to be signed.
many teams in on him…
meanwhile Sashi and money ball think trying to stack away 30 picks will win u a super bowl
some teams want to win, some teams are just plain losers. ex. the cleveland stains
Niners will not spend money, York has already showed he values making money over wins.
eight or nine teams have already called about Norman
But you only named four. Who are the other four or five?
Oakland has the cap space, he would add another level of nastiness to that unit.
I hope Miami is not really considering Norman. He wants way too much money, seems to be full of himself to delusional levels and is a hothead. We need smart, capable and consistent players not guys who suddenly find a clue in their contract year
steelnucs says:
Apr 21, 2016 9:00 AM
Agree with some comments here that he is somewhat unproven.
Still, better than anything the Steelers have in the secondary right now.
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My grandfather could be in the secondary — they’re still not going to spend umphteen million dollars on this guy. Even if they were the type to make splashy moves, they have too many guys whose contracts are up over the next year to blow money in a situation like this.
Lol. Dolphins. Where’s that salary cap?
—
Seriously? The Dolphins have more money available under the salary cap than any other AFC East team. They are about $12 million under now, without any maneuvering. They can afford to sign a major free agent under the right contract. (The Pats and Bills are about $6M under, and the Jets about $3M.)
Miami?? 27th in scoring, 25th in TOP and they are interested in over paying yet another defensive player???
What about Jacksonville?
This is where capitalism meets parity. I’m all for it and support all involved. I personally don’t think Norman is worth that kind of money. But if he gets it, great. Both systems working the way they were intended.
“Lol at people saying Norman is overrated yet Jenoris Jenkins can get 14 mil a year from the Giants, has never had a season like Norman has, yet no one blinks an eye.
I don’t think he’s a top 3 CB, but he’s def top 10.
Some team is going to get a stud”
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We know who Janoris Jenkins is…before last season the majority of us didn’t even know Josh Norman played for the Panthers.
Go compare career stats!
He’s just a guy who jaws and is gonna get burned in his next team. He can’t cover and does little tricks to get the receiver off their game and just jaws at them. Dude was a product of the system, and had a great front 7 to give him time to cover.
Someone take Tannenbums phone…QUICK!
The only teams interested shouldn’t be in a cap hell. Some teams just don’t get it.
SF makes sense, but so many teams are in a cap hell right now, a 16 mil per CB is more cap hell.
hopper15 says:
Apr 21, 2016 3:35 AM
I don’t see any major red flags with Norman. I just think the Panthers locking up Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei long term are higher priorities for them
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Swinging on his franchise QB in practice, the fracas with OBJ, wearing a wrestling mask to SB media day interviews, declaring himself top 5 all time and demanding to be highest paid CB don’t qualify as red flags for you? How about that his team yanked the tag and then said they were not interested in signing him if the market proved he was asking too much? That isn’t a red flag either?
The amazing franchise at losing the dolphins should sign him, along with their over paid DT and QB. Heck at least the dolphins could feel like they won something in the past 20 years
miami
mcjon22 says: Apr 20, 2016 11:59 PM
Lol at people saying Norman is overrated yet Jenoris Jenkins can get 14 mil a year from the Giants, has never had a season like Norman has, yet no one blinks an eye.
I don’t think he’s a top 3 CB, but he’s def top 10.
Some team is going to get a stud
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Do you even check stats or just listen to what the talking heads are saying.
They basically had the same season last year with Norman getting a little bit of an edge in forced fumbles.
Norman – 48 tackles 23 pass def 4Int 3FF
Jenkins – 56 tackles 19 pass def 3Int 1FF
I would take the one who has done this more than one year any day. plus Jenkins is a year younger and had to do more in that defense then Norman had to do with those stud LB’s in front of him
Stay away from AFC East. I can see him picking off Brady when we play Miami.
Add the Titans to that list. They have the need and the cap space (and reportedly, the actual interest).
tonebones says:
Apr 20, 2016 11:45 PM
Buyer beware! When a good organization lets a guy go, that should be a red flag. Ask the Boston Red Sox about Pablo Sandoval.
______________________________
Baseball contracts/evaluations are entirely different than football.
The reason Richardson let him goes is he’s either facing a head case or Richardson realized it would become a distraction. He’s jettisoned good players before. Remember the blood and guts that Steve Smith brought.
Part of me wants him to go to Seattle, just to see if Norman and Sherman can co exist.
Realistically, it doesn’t hurt to take a meeting, maybe you find out that he will talk a couple of mil less to play for you.-ie tell the Browns you want 25 mil a year, the Patriots 12.
Anyone who says that Josh Norman has been good for only 1 year doesn’t watch football. Norman was the highest ranking corner this past year and was in the top 10 the year before.
Is he a #1 corner? Yes he is
Is he THE #1 corner? No he is not
But to say that Josh Norman is some garbage scrub is belittling. He overvalues his ability as most of the best corners do. But he will give someone a physical corner that could work in the right system.
“cbass59 says:
Apr 21, 2016 5:53 AM
The Red Sux are not a good organization”
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What he meant was that a great organization like the SF Giants let Pablo Sandoval go to the Red Sox because he demanded too much money and was a lazy fat slob. The Sox are finding that out now.
The NFL is a bit different as the rules in place keep star players with teams more so than in baseball. What shocked everyone was that the Panthers just let him go DURING negotiations and rescinded the rule to keep him with the team. They just told him to take a hike.
only way the steelers get him is if he decides to take the vet min and shows he wants a championship more than money!
Get a ring and come to Pittsburgh. Anywhere else = no ring.
Steelers need the help.
That secondary is baaad.
Couldn’t even stop the Ravens and that decimated offense last year.
I’d rather Miami use the cap to find some more FA guard depth. They haven’t drafted a solid guard in years, only projects or undersized guys.
Steelers desperately need help in secondary but with 3.5 million in cap space Norman ain’t gonna happen. How’s that Big Ben contract working for you guys?
Seems that some of my posts are getting deleted. I didn’t think I was being that obnoxious. Just a little friendly banter between a Ravens fan and some Steelers fans. Isn’t that what make sports fun and why we are called fans (fanatics)!!
Jags, Redskins, Dolphins or some other loser franchise will pay this guy 18 million per year. They’re too stupid not to.
Perhaps all those recent extended contracts are now biting the Steelers. They could certainly use Norman. But how can they afford him under the cap?
draculalambert says:
Apr 21, 2016 11:42 AM
Get a ring and come to Pittsburgh. Anywhere else = no ring
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If he was worried about a ring he would have stayed in Carolina. Panthers much closer to Super bowl that Steelers