Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman likes to talk. His words are often harmless and a break from locker room clichés. But sometimes that mouth can get him in trouble.

Example No. 1: The story that’s followed him around this week.

After Sunday’s season-opening win against the Jaguars, he was asked about the second-quarter fumble he caused and recovered.

“I ended up getting it then losing it on the ground, but don’t tell the referees that,” Norman said. “[Jaguars receiver Allen Hurns] ended up recovering it, but we got the ball still.”

Well, that’s interesting, as was the pile that took about a minute to unravel. So I asked him what it was like at the bottom.

“I can’t even describe it to you. It was like being in the foxhole,” Norman said. “Gotta fight, fight, fight. Digging in folks’ eyes and everything and eye-gouging. Hurns didn’t like that too well.”

Yeah, it’s understandable why a guy may not like having fingers stuck in his eye.

Panthers reporters who were there didn’t make much of it because Norman appeared to be joking. Then, on Wednesday, Hurns told Jacksonville media that he wears a visor, so Norman’s account couldn’t have happened.

Thursday, Norman had a chance to clear it up. Instead, he sidestepped.

“Man, look, I’m blessed either way it goes. I’m good regardless, God got me,” he said from his locker.

While Norman avoided putting his foot in his mouth any further, he also claimed he hasn’t gotten a letter from the NFL about the incident that may or may not have happened.

“I didn’t hear anything, so it’s cool,” he said. “But they know. They know. It’s just people stirring up bull for no reason.”

But Norman isn’t always an innocent victim.

Example No. 2: When asked about cornerback Byron Maxwell, who was given $25 million in guaranteed money from the Eagles this offseason, getting burned Monday night by Falcons receiver Julio Jones, who was shut down by Norman twice last year, he said:

“Both of them are great players … I just know Julio what he does and what he brings to the table is much different than any other wide receiver. When you’re a DB, you can’t play him like any other wide receivers. When you give him releases like that, he’s going to do that to you 99.9 percent of the time, so I know it’s probably going to be a long day for him.”

But seconds later, when told that ESPN analyst Jon Gruden said no one has shut down Jones in two years, Norman couldn’t help himself:

“That goes to show you how much he watches film or how much he pays attention to what goes on to the people you watch in the NFL. That’s all I’ve got to say about that.”

In some ways, Norman is like former Panthers’ receiver Steve Smith. He can try to hold his tongue and saw the right thing, but eventually … oops.

It can cause headaches for coaches and folks in public relations, but it’s also refreshing in a sport full of “one day at a times.”

“I’m colorful in how I speak and what I do in life. I’m not black and white, I’m not vanilla,” Norman said. “Take it how you want to take it, I know who I am and what I bring to the table.”