Written by Jarrett Bell at USAToday.com
For all that Josh Norman accomplished while becoming one of the most dynamic cornerbacks in the NFL, his sudden entry into the free agency market includes an intriguing subplot that could factor into his value.
Can Norman, a key cog in the Carolina Panthers’ drive to Super Bowl 50, thrive in a different system?
Hey, free agent moves, like the draft, always involve projecting how a player will fit in a new environment. That’s why general managers and other decision makers get the big bucks.
Norman can envision some big bucks, too. Reportedly, he’s seeking a deal averaging at least $15 million per year, which would make him the NFL’s highest-paid corner while exceeding the yearly averages carried by Darrelle Revis ($14.024 million),Patrick Peterson ($14.01 million) and Richard Sherman ($14 million).
Until Wednesday, when the Panthers rescinded their franchise tag from Norman, Carolina was willing to pay him $13.952 million for the 2016 season. But with talks for a long-term deal gone sour, GM Dave Gettleman exercised the rare reversal of pulling the tag. According to ESPN.com, the two sides were more than $5 million per year apart, with the Panthers also looking to eventually lock up defensive tackles Star Lotulelei and Kawann Short to long-term deals.
“It’s a business decision,” Gettleman explained during a news conference Thursday.
It’s a risk, too, with Gettleman — he declared at the scouting combine in February that he’s not in the business of developing players for other teams — seeing the best playmaker in his secondary walk.
According to analytics website ProFootballFocus.com, Norman, who was on the short list of defensive player of the year candidates in 2015, had the lowest opposing quarterback rating (54.0) on passes coming his way last season. Over the past two years, no cornerback has had more pass breakups than Norman’s 30.
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