Josh Norman - Pro Football Rumors

Josh Norman Visiting Washington

April 21st, 2016 at 10:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

10:00pm: Norman could have an agreement with Washington by the end of the day tomorrow, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link), who adds that the deal is expected to be quite lucrative.

6:29pm: Norman is discussing five-year deals with both Washington and the 49ers, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Norman is expected to command at least $14MM, per Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), while Schefter says any deal will come in between $14-15MM.

5:39pm: Norman will visit Washington tomorrow, per Rapoport (Twitter link).

5:34pm: Washington and the 49ers are considered the frontrunners for free agent cornerback Josh Norman, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Washington, in fact, has a solid offer on the table for Norman, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, who confirms the 49ers’ strong interest. As Mike Jones of the Washington Post notes (via Twitter), Norman can’t finalize a deal for a few days since he recently changed agents.

Norman, of course, has been the hottest non-draft story in the NFL since the Panthers rescinded his franchise tag yesterday, making him an unrestricted free agent. The Buccaneers, Dolphins, Rams, and Titans have all expressed interest, while Carolina general manager Dave Gettleman declined to close the door on a possible reunion.

Norman’s camp is all about exceeding an average of $14MM per year while still shooting for $15MM/year, La Canfora reported earlier today. Interestingly, he says that his camp does not seem as caught up in total guaranteed money. Last offseason, Darrelle Revis inked a five-year, $70MM deal with a whopping $39MM fully guaranteed. Norman, apparently, would like to edge that AAV while understanding that he won’t approach that gaudy guarantee.

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 byPro Football Focus’ grades.

If they are able to land Norman, Washington may be more likely to trade down from pick No. 21, opines John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Josh Norman Rumors: Thursday Evening

April 21st, 2016 at 7:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, we learned that as many as ten teams have reached out to Josh Norman since he was effectively cut loose by the Panthers on Wednesday. So far, it has been reported that the Steelers, Buccaneers, Dolphins, 49ers, Washington, Jets, and Titans have called on the elite cornerback. However, the Steelers and Jets are reportedly only kicking the tires and don’t have serious plans to pursue the 28-year-old.

Here’s the very latest on Norman:

The Dolphins are likely out of the running for Norman, according to Cole (Twitter link).
Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff says the team is not interested in signing Norman, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. “We are not going in that direction,” Dimitroff said.

Earlier Updates:

Norman has switched agents since having his franchise tag revoked by Carolina, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Norman has hired agent Ryan Williams of Athletes First to take lead on his contract. Agent Michael George will serve as his co-representative.
The Falcons are also in on Norman, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. He adds that the bidding for Norman is likely to go higher than Janoris Jenkins’ free agent deal of $62.5MM over five years.
The Panthers came close to not putting the franchise tag on Norman before the start of free agency, two sources tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter).
Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman told reporters (including ESPN.com’s David Newton) that the more he and the staff talked, the less attractive a one-year tag for Norman became. He added that there is incentive in getting a compensatory pick as well.
Gettleman says the message sent to the Panthers by not keeping Norman is “we want people that were all in,” (via Newton). Ultimately, he says $13.9MM was too much.
The 49ers have interest in Norman, but they’d like to meet with him before diving into the market for him, a league source tells Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee.
Norman will approach free agency carefully, a source tells Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). Norman will consider money, city, team makeup, coach, and ownership and attempt to pick the team which offers the best combination in those areas.
The Dolphins have $19.5MM in cap room, James Walker of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes. Miami, in theory, has the kind of money to sign Norman, but they also have to find room to sign their rookie class.
A few teams have called on Norman in part to find out why the Panthers rescinded the franchise tag, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets.

Panthers Rumors: Norman, Draft, Tackles

April 21st, 2016 at 4:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, Panthers GM Dave Gettleman spoke to reporters about Josh Norman and other issues concerning the team. Here are the highlights:

Gettleman says no doors have been shut on a Norman return, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. However, one has to imagine that a multi-year deal between the two sides is now something of a longshot. Even if the Panthers wanted to jump back into the mix, they‘d be vying with at least ten other NFL teams.
Gettleman says the Norman decision will not impact the Panthers’ draft strategy (via Panthers on Twitter). “We’re going to take the best player available,” the GM said.
Gettleman praised the professionalism of Norman and his agent throughout the process (Twitter link via Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer).
Gettleman says he sees four or five first-round offensive tackles in the draft (Twitter link via Person).
When asked about his surprising decision on Norman, Gettleman said, “You might say Dave’s cavalier about this and yada, yada, yada. But bottom line we don’t play until Sept. 8,” (Twitter link via Person).
Gettleman says having the option of a fifth-year option on a first round pick makes it hard to consider trading out of the first round (link via Newton).

Giants GM On Draft, JPP, Cruz, Right Tackle

April 21st, 2016 at 11:35am CST by Zachary Links

Moments ago, Giants GM Jerry Reese told reporters that the team had a “medical meeting” Wednesday night to discuss draft prospects with medical concerns, as ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano writes.

“If our doctors say the risk is too high, we won’t take them,” the GM explained.

Here’s more from Reese’s presser:

Reese said that the Giants are “open to moving up [and] open to moving back” in the NFL Draft, as Paul Schwartz of the New York Post tweets.
Reese says he expects Jason Pierre-Paul to be able to play better this year as he gets used to condition of his hand, Graziano tweets.
When asked about the safety position, the GM said, “We’ll see,” (Twitter link via Graziano). The team is hoping a young guy steps up to fill the role.
When asked about the Giants’ running backs, Reese said, “I think we have five guys that can play in this league,” (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News). The Giants have Rashad Jennings, Andre Williams, Shane Vereen, Orleans Darkwa, and Bobby Rainey at running back.
When asked about free-agent Josh Norman, Reese gave his standard non-answer, as Vacchiano tweets. “We investigate everything,” the GM said.
When questioned about the Giants’ right tackle situation, Reese said: “Sometimes the answer is on your roster” (link via Vacchiano). The Giants currently have Marshall Newhouse and Bobby Hart at right tackle with Ereck Flowers at left tackle.
Reese says that anything Victor Cruz gives them is a “bonus,” Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger tweets. He added that the plan is to ‘take it easy with him.’
When asked about how much he pays attention to the ages of players in the draft, Reese said, “We’re conscious of players’ ages, but how many play more than four, five years?” (Twitter link via Graziano).

Josh Norman Rumors: Thursday

April 21st, 2016 at 9:56am CST by Zachary Links

9:56am: The Steelers are not pursuing Norman, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets.

9:09am: Schefter (on Twitter) adds the Jets and Titans to the list of teams that have called on Norman. However, the Jets are only doing their due diligence and cannot afford him, Manish Mehta of the Daily News tweets.

8:51am: Josh Norman‘s representatives heard from as many as ten teams on Wednesday, including the Steelers, Buccaneers, Dolphins, and 49ers, a source tells Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) adds the Rams and Bears to the list of teams that have reached out to the top cornerback. The 49ers, Steelers, Dolphins, and Washington have expressed the most interest in Norman so far, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears.

Norman’s camp is all about exceeding an average of $14MM per year while still shooting for $15MM/year, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. Interestingly, he says that his camp does not seem as caught up in total guaranteed money. Last offseason, Darrelle Revis inked a five-year, $70MM deal with a whopping $39MM fully guaranteed. Norman, apparently, would like to edge that AAV while understanding that he won’t approach that gaudy guarantee.

Yesterday, the Panthers shocked the football world when they rescinded the franchise tag from Norman, making him an unrestricted free agent in the later stages of the NFL offseason. The Panthers gave Norman’s agent permission to pursue a trade at his request, a league source Person, but the Panthers decided to cut him loose when that path did not bear fruit. Apparently, the specter of a holdout that gone into training camp and the preseason was not appealing for Carolina.

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).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Josh Norman

April 20th, 2016 at 9:24pm CST by Zachary Links

Some might say that the Panthers put Josh Norman in a bad spot by not rescinding his franchise tender earlier in the offseason. However, as Mike Florio of PFT notes, the Panthers could have put the cornerback in a much worse spot by pulling the tag after the draft. As of today, there are still several teams with the cap room necessary to sign Norman and a clear need for a game-changing cornerback like him. If the Panthers waited a couple of weeks to pull the tender, Norman probably would have been left in limbo without any strong fits.

Here’s more on Norman and the Panthers:

Eight or nine teams have contacted Norman’s representatives since the Panthers rescinded the franchise tag, a league source tells Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer (on Twitter).
Norman wanted Patrick Peterson/Darrelle Revis money while the Panthers were only willing to sign him to Byron Maxwell money, which would put him at about $11MM per year, Person tweets.
Of course, it’s not often that franchise tags are rescinded. The most “recent” cases of the franchise tag being pulled were Leroy Hill in 2009 (Seahawks) and Corey Simon (Eagles) in 2005, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets.
The Jaguars are a natural fit for Norman because they need a strong No. 1 cover corner and have the resources to pay him, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union writes. The Jaguars are $52.5MM under the cap, more than every team except San Francisco.
In addition to the Jaguars, the Titans, Bears, Giants….and Panthers are among the teams that make the most sense for Norman, Nate Davis of USA Today opines. The Panthers, Davis writes, probably give Norman his best shot at both winning and cashing in since the team has ~$30MM in cap room.
During Super Bowl week in February, Norman made no secret of his affinity for the 49ers, as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes. “They’re tremendous, and one of the greatest teams we have among the 32,” Norman said. “Their championships in the Super Bowls are epic. They’ve had all-time greats. They’re right up there with the Packers and Dallas Cowboys in how they do things.”

Josh Norman Becomes Unrestricted Free Agent

April 20th, 2016 at 4:42pm CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers announced that they have rescinded the franchise tag from Josh Norman, making him an unrestricted free agent. The move comes as an absolute shock as Norman is regarded as one of the league’s top cornerbacks. With Norman off the books, the Panthers now have $13.952MM in cap room that they wouldn’t have had otherwise.

“After a number of conversations with Josh’s agent we realized that a long-term deal was not attainable,” GM Dave Gettleman said in a statement. “We thank Josh for all his contributions and truly wish him well.”

The Panthers reportedly were not interested in meeting Norman‘s asking price of roughly $15-16MM. However, Carolina was said to be fine with letting Norman play out the year under the franchise tag, which, at nearly $14MM, would have paid him like an elite corner.The two sides have not closed the gap in recent weeks and recently Norman informed the Panthers that he would not be in attendance for their conditioning program.

Norman was looking to be paid in excess of $16MM per year, much like the first three years of Darrelle Revis‘ extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Panthers were not on board with that, however, and cut him loose instead.

Now, Norman hits the open market and while some teams are tapped out, other teams are flush with cap space. That list of teams includes the 49ers and, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets, the idea of playing in California appeals to Norman. The Rams, Bears, Jaguars, and Titans also have room to spend.

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.

Currently, Revis stands as the NFL’s highest paid cornerback after signing a $70.12MM contract that includes a whopping $39MM guaranteed. That deal edged out Patrick Peterson of the Cardinals who got a $70.05MM deal with $16.25MM guaranteed and Seahawks corner Richard Sherman, who inked a $56MM deal ($12.43MM guaranteed) to stay in Seattle. Trumaine Johnson accepted his franchise tender earlier this month to become the fourth-highest paid corner in the NFL, but Norman has had his sights set on a lucrative long-term deal instead. Now, he’ll be looking into long-term pacts elsewhere.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Wilkerson, Jack, Fuller, K. White

April 16th, 2016 at 9:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Unsigned franchise player Muhammad Wilkerson is not expected to attend the Jets‘ voluntary workouts, according Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). Wilkerson will follow the same pattern as fellow franchise players Josh Norman (link) and Von Miller (link), who also won’t participate in their respective team’s offseason program.

Let’s take a look at a few more notes from around the NFL…

The Cowboys are unlikely to use the No. 4 pick on UCLA linebacker Myles Jack, reports Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. Jack, who underwent knee surgery last fall, said his medical recheck earlier this week went smoothly, but other sources say that some clubs are concerned.
Like Jack, Virginia Tech corner Kendall Fuller underwent a medical recheck on his knee this week, and he received positive reports, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Fuller, who is expected to be selected on Day 2 of the draft, should be ready by training camp, per Rapoport.
After missing his entire rookie season with a shin injury, Bears receiver Kevin White — the No. 7 overall pick in 2015 — is now expected to be ready for Chicago’s offseason program. Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune has the details on White’s arduous recovery.
Elsewhere in the NFC North, Mike Spofford of Packers.com examines Green Bay’s running back situation, noting that Eddie Lacy is not guaranteed to be a member of the Packers beyond 2016. Lacy’s rookie contract expires after this season, and it’s not clear if Green Bay has plans of extending him.
Though an immature attitude was reportedly one factor in defensive tackle Dominique Easley‘s release from the Patriots, at least one New England veteran has spoken up on Easley’s behalf. “I loved Easley, especially his work ethic,” the unnamed player told Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “I hope he gets a second chance. . . . He’s a great (guy) and teammate in my eyes.”

South Notes: Norman, Falcons, Texans, Bucs

April 16th, 2016 at 5:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

We learned earlier today that one franchise-tagged player — Broncos linebacker Von Miller — won’t be attending his club’s offseason program, and it sounds like another franchise player will take the same approach, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (Twitter link) that Panthers cornerback Josh Norman won’t join Carolina’s conditioning program. As Rapoport notes, it’s standard practice for unsigned franchise players to stay away from team activities until a deal is worked out.

Here’s the latest from the NFL’s two South divisions…

Because they only have five picks in this year’s draft, the Falcons are going to have to take a different approach when targeting players, Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff tells D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We think the draft is going to be interesting for us and creative for us,” said Dimitroff, and Ledbetter notes that the club might explore trading down from the No. 17 pick. Additionally, the Falcons are said to be one of a number of teams that are “very interested” in Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith‘s medical recheck, presumably because Smith could prove to be a draft-day steal if he slips.
Rutgers receiver Leonte Carroo will visit the Texans on Tuesday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Carroo, a favorite of some NFL draftniks, has already met with the Patriots, Jets, Dolphins, and Giants. PFR’s Rob DiRe projected Carroo to come off the board at the end of the second round in the first edition of PFR’s Mock Draft.
Texans left tackle Duane Brown is progressing nicely as he recovers from offseason surgery to repair a torn quadriceps muscle, and Wilson details Brown’s rehab in a separate piece at the Chronicle. As Wilson notes, Houston has no incentive to rush Brown back to the field given that they re-signed swing tackle Chris Clark to a two-year deal.
After working out for the Buccaneers yesterday, USF tight end Sean Price is expected to meet with the Texans on Friday, tweets Jenna Laine.

Franchise Tag Notes: Mo, Cousins, Norman

April 12th, 2016 at 6:19pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The asking price for Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson is a first-round pick, and perhaps even more, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports, who reports that Wilkerson is still on the trade block. One club that won’t be bidding for Wilkerson is the Bears, per Robinson, because Chicago doesn’t want to sacrifice the No. 11 pick and likes the depth of this year’s defensive line draft class.

Let’s take a deep dive into Robinson’s article (which is well worth a full read), as he passes along updates on the top franchise-tagged players…

Kirk Cousins wants a “legitimate” franchise quarterback offer before he considers signing a long-term deal with Washington, sources tell Robinson. In other words, Cousins, who is set to earn more than $19MM in 2016, isn’t interested in a “pay-as-you-go” extension signed by the likes of Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick. At the moment, Washington doesn’t view Cousins as the centerpiece of its team.
The Panthers aren’t interested in paying cornerback Josh Norman‘s asking price, which Robinson reports is around $15-16MM (a number that jibes with earlier reports). Carolina is fine with letting Norman play out the year under the franchise tag, which, at nearly $14MM, pays him like an elite corner.
Von Miller‘s price has gone up this offseason following Olivier Vernon‘s massive deal with the Giants, but the Broncos want to pay him somewhere between Ndamukong Suh and Justin Houston money, which would be around $18MM. Recent reports have indicated that Denver offered Miller more than $17MM annually.
The Bills have made left tackle Cordy Glenn their top priority, and because they view him as an “ascending cornerstone,” they’re willing to pay him elite tackle money, writes Robinson. The deal could be delayed, but Anthony Castonzo‘s deal with the Colts is a starting point in talks, per Robinson.
The Chiefs expect to get a deal done with Eric Berry, but probably not until after the draft, according to Robinson. Berry and Kansas City have a great relationship which should make negotiations easier, and Robinson opines that Berry should be able to top Devin McCourty‘s deal.
Alshon Jeffery is in the same boat as Berry, per Robinson, as the Bears are largely focused on the draft at the moment. Jeffery is not worried about reaching a long-term deal, especially since the franchise tag is paying him nearly $15MM, but the two sides are expected to knock out an extension later in the offseason.
The Rams might have a hard time getting cornerback Trumaine Johnson to agree to a reasonable deal, especially because they picked Johnson over fellow CB Janoris Jenkins, who went on to score a large contract with the Giants. If the two sides do work out an extension, says Robinson, it will be late in the offseason.