1:38pm: Coming into Friday with less than $12MM in cap space, Washington looks to have backloaded the cornerback’s deal, with Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac.com tweeting Norman’s 2016 cap number will be $8MM. The team has set payouts of $17MM and $20MM to Norman in 2017 and ’18, respectively, but can reasonably get out of the deal after the 2017 season. Should Washington come to regret this contract, it can move on from Norman after 2017 with a $9MM dead money blow, Ginnitti reports.
SATURDAY, 8:45am: Albert Breer of the NFL Network describes the contract as essentially a two-year deal (via Twitter). The $36.5MM in guaranteed money will be paid over the first two seasons, and Norman will also receive a $500K per-game roster bonus in 2017.
After that, it will be up to Washington. Breer notes that the organization will have to make a decision by March 2018, as that’s when Norman’s injury guarantee (around $13.5MM) becomes fully guaranteed.
FRIDAY, 9:49pm: Norman received a $15MM signing bonus, and will earn $20MM total in 2016, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
8:36pm: Norman will receive $36.5MM in full guarantees, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter links), who adds that Norman will receive $51MM over the first three years of his contract.
7:34pm: Washington has officially announced the signing.
6:39pm: Free agent corner Josh Norman has agreed to terms with Washington, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter link). Norman will sign a five-year, $75MM deal that includes $50MM in guarantees, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links).
Norman had been visiting Washington’s facilities all day, and the club was reportedly trying to lock up Norman without letting him leave for other visits. Late interest from New Orleans clouded matters, as reports within the past hour had indicated that Norman was deciding between Washington and the Saints, but it appears that he’s decided to head to the national’s capital.
Ever since the Panthers shockingly rescinded Norman’s franchise tag earlier this week, the star cornerback had been drawing interest from all corners of the league. The Jaguars, Buccaneers, Bears, Titans, 49ers, Dolphins, Steelers, Jets, and Falcons were all linked to Norman, while Carolina GM Dave Gettleman yesterday declined to shut the door on a possible reunion. Washington and San Francisco (and given today’s reports, New Orleans) were thought to be Norman’s most serious suitors.
Norman had reportedly been targeting $14MM+ annually, and per Rapoport, Norman will have surpassed that total — a $15MM yearly salary would make Norman the highest-paid corner in the league. In terms of guaranteed money, Norman’s $50MM would also rank first among corners, and by a significant margin — Darrelle Revis would be second with $39MM in guaranteed money. Of course, we’ll have to wait and see if that $30MM figure is fully guaranteed, or simply for injury only. Still, given that Norman would have earned only $13.952MM under the franchise tag with the Panthers, he comes out a clear winner.
Norman, 28, enjoyed a career-year in 2015 as he was named to the All Pro first team and selected for his first Pro Bowl. After producing career highs in both interceptions (four) and passes defensed (18), Norman is in great position as he demands a multi-year payday. Norman was well-regarded by advanced metrics as well, finishing as the league’s 12th-best corner by Pro Football Focus’ grades.
Washington will now field one of the better corner tandems in the NFL, with Norman teaming with Bashaud Breeland in the defensive backfield. Additionally, Norman will head to the NFC East, where he’ll face the Giants’ Odell Beckham Jr. — with whom he notably sparred last season — twice per year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
WAY TO GO, BAALKE! WAY TO GO! Can the NFL please force York and Baalke out? The guy is a joke. You sh surge fans all this money and sell out games all year and don’t spend the money to out out a winning team! I hope 9ers fans boycott going to the stadium until they show us they want to win because right now they are sucking up a lot of our money and not giving it back to us which is completely BS!
You’ve got to be joking, right? I wanted him to but if you honestly want them to build a contending team, you don’t pay any CB $75 mil for 5 years…..I’m glad your not them niners GM!
I mightve paid neon deon that money for his prime years if he played in todays nfl…
His contract wouldn’t have hurt us. We have 53.5 million in cap space bud. I’m not stupid so don’t trash talk me like I don’t know what I’m talking about. We need help all Over the field and this would help! We haven’t don’t a damn thing all year. Can’t believe you’d stick up for this moron of a GM when literally hasn’t done anything but sign one guy! Takes out money and doesn’t give back to the fans. By time we were right on cap space in a few years this guy declines and we release him. Pretty sure that’s the way these things always work but while he is good and while we have the money you make the move. We can still build a good team with all the money left over after signing him and it’s not like there are many free agents left and we clearly are going to fill the roster through the draft
Broncos , pats , Seahawks all won the last 3 superbowls, …..each had corners paid over 10 mil , Revis, Sherman, talib, ect. A shutdown corner is essential nowadays .. So yeah , 49ers missed out
There are no “shutdown” corners in the nfl, there is no CB that has reached “shutdown” level yet.
Revis, Sherman, Norman (last year), Talib, Patrick Peterson, Joe Haden. All are pretty much regarded as shutdown or close to shutdown CBs. At worst, Revis is/was the closest thing back in his first stint with the Jets.
Take joe haden off that list. He wad turrrble last year.
Then watch him flunk the draft also. He doesn’t spend big, wonder who our gm will be next year.
The 49ers are now the only source of income for the York family. And the team is being run accordingly.
The Odell-Norman battles have begun
Overpaid, and now has to match up with dez and obj twice each let’s see if he’s worth it
Snyder is a ass , hope he gets burned by with OBJ…….
sounds like you’re a little worried. LOL
Are you kidding me? Giants fans are elated with this deal. A cornerback with one great year and a QB who only shows up against bad defenses make up about a third of the redskins salary cap
Welcome back Dan Snyder
Is Norman really worth all that money. 75 mill on any player is a gamble. I want the 49ers to spend but I think they were smart not spending that on him. Keep the money and just spend it on players we have and should keep
Insane amount of money for a 5th round draft pick who’s been relevant for one season. 7 career picks? Come on man, there’s a reason his former team wouldn’t go 14 mil a year. He’s not worth it. Not to mention will regress this year playing for a worse defense in a tougher division receivers wise
The article said it’s basically a $36.5mill/2 year contract with the team being able to get out after that. Not sure how good he’ll be but the Niners definitely could have afforded him.
Pretty sure I read that like $53 million is guaranteed, so I’m not sure how its a 2 year $36.5 mil deal.
If you read the timeline, it’s $36.5.
Yeah, just to clarify, there are $50MM in guarantees, but $13.5MM of that $50MM is guaranteed for injury only. That $13.5MM is Norman’s 2018 salary, which would become fully guaranteed in March 2018 if he’s still on the roster.