NFL general managers don't let their best cornerback walk away. They also don't cut the best player in franchise history when he still has some good years left.
If it wasn't clear already, Dave Gettleman isn't a typical NFL general manager.
Two springs after he shocked the fan base by releasing receiver Steve Smith, Gettleman dropped a bombshell on the league by rescinding the franchise tag he had placed on cornerback Josh Norman. The Panthers' top corner, who often took away a side of the field during Carolina's run to the Super Bowl, is now an unrestricted free agent.
Like the Smith move, this won't make much sense to many. But according to team and league sources, this is why it happened.
A Long-Term Deal Wasn't Getting Done
Norman made it clear over the past couple months that he wants to be paid like the top corner in the NFL. His side started negotiations asking for a contract worth $15-$16 million a year. The Panthers were willing to come up significantly from the $7 million they offered last summer, but they had a limit. They would've done $11-$12 million.
Norman wasn't budging. Neither was Gettleman. Even a deadline wouldn't help break the stalemate.
“After a number of conversations with Josh’s agent we realized that a long-term deal was not attainable,” Gettleman said in a statement.
“We thank Josh for all his contributions and truly wish him well.”
The 'D' Word
Norman had no plans to sign his franchise tender worth $14 million, so he wasn't going to be at offseason workouts. Eh. That's not too big of a deal. The problem was the Panthers were worried Norman would continue to sit through training camp.
Would he have eventually taken $14 million? Probably. But to the Panthers, the potential distraction wasn't worth the wait.
Money for Others
According to the NFLPA, the Panthers had $18.1 million in cap space before they rescinded Norman's tag. 18 + 14 = more flexibility to sign guys who truly want to be in Carolina.
The Panthers' top contract goal since the start of the offseason wasn't Norman. It's getting defensive tackle Kawann Short locked into a long-term deal. They want to do the same with Star Lotulelei.
Gettleman builds from the inside out, so cornerbacks aren't as valuable as big linemen and pass rushers. It's why Norman was never going to get paid like the best corner in the game in Carolina. Now he can try to get what he feels he's worth, and it only takes one team. Sitting $52 million below the cap, Jacksonville and San Francisco each have a ton of money to spend. Someone will sign Norman soon.
Of course, this leaves a major hole in the Panthers' secondary. Bené Benwikere, who was slotted to be the No. 2 corner, is coming off a broken leg. Brandon Boykin is a better idea in the slot than on the outside. The other corners on the roster: Robert McClain, Teddy Williams, Lou Young and Travell Dixon. It's not an inspiring group right now, but the Panthers can add to it through the draft and with whoever's still out there as a free agent.
Even then, the secondary could be suspect, but that's a risk Gettleman's willing to take. He'd rather spend his money elsewhere, at higher-priority positions and on players who won't bring drama into the locker room.
2 CB’s come to mind real fast in Leon Hall (31) ex Bengals and Antonio Cromartie (32) ex Jets. No different than signing Charles Tillman and we could bring him back mid season.
Then I have read plenty on Lou Young who trained with Norman and don’t we develop players for us and not other teams. Young has been on the PS and Roster 2 years out of Gettleman’s 3 year plan. Next man up.
Then I do like Travell Dixon who played with Shaw Thompson at Washington.
So in other words the Rome didn’t crumble when we cut Norman. IMO it was a blessing in disguise. Every team is going to have cut downs from 90 to 75 then to 53. Veterans will be let go. What did Gettleman say about this years draft that the defense was loaded.
I hate to say it Norman was pretty good, but with out the other 10 players he played with just how good is he. We played a lot of Zone or Tampa 2 and FS Kurt Coleman was an interception machine.
Totally agree. Would love to see us lock down either of those guys and get a good value CB in the draft. This move frees up so much space on the cap this season, I can’t wait to see the dominoes that fall after this.
In terms of Norman, I can understand why he would want to test the market, as his numbers are inflated from playing alongside the Carolina front 7, thus maximizing his negotiating leverage. Would have liked to see him come back at something reasonable like maybe the $12, but I’m still not sure I want that much invested in a CB in our system.
As you said, may be a blessing in disguise. Best of luck to Josh wherever he goes.
I think it was a smart move because if you think about it we cut Charles Johnson to save 11 million and to turn around and pay Norman 14 million. OR what he wanted in 14-16 million per year is unreal.
You got to trust Gettleman, because of what he has done In the last 3 years no one else could have done.
Cromartie is on record saying he wants to play for the Panthers, but at the time his veteran salary plus his age would have been too much for the panthers to handle. Now that they have an extra 14mil I think signing Cromartie to a 1 year deal would the best move and then draft a young corner to compete and learn behind a savy vet. It took Josh’s game to another level with Tillman
Good post. I also wonder if Gettleman and Richardson were worried about Peppers 2.0. If I’m forced to sign a franchise tag, I’ll play like a dog.
I’ll never forgive Peppers for what he did.
So glad we don’t have to go through that again
Don’t know about them, but I think playing hard is in his nature and he needed to showcase for the next team kind of like Revis has been doing.
Love the move. Keep focused on what makes this team great. It’s not Norman.
Norman was one huge aspect of what made us play great last year. He played with Steve Smith intensity and passion. Hopefully someone fills those shoes this season in the secondary.
I think this coming season will show that Norman is a great zone/systems corner- not a true shut-down corner worthy of even franchise tag money. Josh had plenty of time to sign the tender. He didn’t and raised huge red flags in the process suggesting he might take it easy next year to avoid injury and had begun the “hold-out” game. Yes this stings but our D’s success is all about the front 7. We are now in a better cap situation to sign Star and K. It’s not all bad news and now we don’t have to endure the Josh Norman hold out circus that was sure to come. We also may end up with an additional 3 rd round pick (comp).
Noman played exceptional against teams with no real offenses, I will say he did amazing against julio 1 game. But it is bad business to pay a player 16 mil a yea for 1 year of production. I think he fits our system well but then again we can find another puzzle piece for that. Josh is busy trying to chase dollar signs and not championships.
I’ve learned not to question Gettleman. I think he’s proven he knows what he’s doing.
Having said that… Mckenzie Alexander (Clemson) looks really good at corner.
Don’t think he will fall to us…he was originally around #30, but now I think he is higher. Hoping one of the better athletic freak Corners falls to us – Could be better than JNO with our line and LBs.
My only concern is I wish Gettleman had packaged norman away for some draft picks so they could have been in a better position in the draft to be able to further strengthen the team
They tried that and there were no takers
You also can’t trade a guy that hasn’t signed his tender, so Josh could have held Carolina hostage.
Yea that is true, but if there had been a serious offer on Josh he could have signed he tender to have been traded. Either way I think its a great move. Josh isn’t as good as he thinks he is and I think it will be good to get rid of the distraction. Maybe they can even sign cromartie to a 6 mil deal for the year. To help the secondary and then draft harlam Miller to sit back and learn for a year or Mackenzie Alexander
I thought he let him pursue a trade…I feel you though, I wish we got something in return besides a compensatory pick next year
After reading Charles Robinson’s yahoo post that 49ers and Jags highly interested do wish they would have let talk to other teams and at least pick 4-5 round draft pick.
THIS HAPPENED YEAR 1 WHEN WE DIDN’T SIGN HIM B4 HE BLEW UP. In DG we trust, but please DONT DO IT AGAIN.
Also, everyone saying we are better off etc etc etc, please have some loyalty. JNO was the beating heart of our team this last season. He played with passion on EVERY play just like 89 did for us. stop calling fans fairweather who are upset. There’s nothing wrong with having loyalty – for many he was our favorite player. We all want him back, but just not at a price that will hurt the rest of the team. I do think we will be better off in the long run, and now I will hopefully get my wish anyways in drafting a CB at #30 which I thought was the right thing to do in the first place…think a top cb in this draft could be better than JNO with our defense. I’d also consider that TE or a beast RB like Henry. In DG we trust… #KEEPPOUNDING We are still going to get SB-51 this year!
I love Norman, i hate to see him go, but he was in no way, shape or form the beating heart of the team, let alone the defense. TD or KK would take that title defensively and i think Cam would take the cake as a whole. Our front 7 allowed JNo to take the risks that put him on the map and he did what an awesome player does he made plays, but let’s not pretend like he’s the reason this team is a 15-1 NFC Champ. He won’t be easily replaced, but he’s not the biggest cog Gettlemen needed to keep either.
Honestly I I could have cared less for JNO last season, I think he is a good player but I disagree that he is the beating heart of that defense. Thomas Davis and Luke are the heart of that defense. Josh fit our system so he did well but there was no reason for GM to sign him to a long term deal because he has only had 1 productive year. 1 productive year does not equate to 1 mil a year
Honestly if this means we can Keep KK and have enough money to bring back Star and KB in a few seasons then I’m all in. We need a team, not a star… Correction, we need the justice league, not just the Dark knight.
Tough decisions will and have to be made to be great! Josh can find out great players need support of their team to get where they want to be. Greg Hardy found out and now Josh so let us see what happens!
Said this before…
OK, let’s see – last three years:
Josh Starts 70% of games; Ints 6; PDs 29; FF 4; FR 3; Tkl 91; AV 19; Age 28
Darelle Starts 100% of games; Ints 9; PDs 36; FF 3; FR 6; Tkl 117; AV 31; Age 30
Richard Starts 100% of games; Ints 14; PDs 43; FF 1; FR 2; Tkl 123; AV 49; Age 28
He’s good, but not Revis, not Sherman, not Patrick Peterson. But very good. He doesn’t have the track record of the others pre-2015. The other guys have been more consistent.
Business side of football – if Josh believes he can get $2-3M/year more from another team, and he’s planning his life based on that difference, then that is a business decision he is making.
Football side of football – it is doubtful he will find a better defense outside of Carolina, Seattle, Arizona, or Denver. It is more doubtful he finds a team more likely to return to the Superbowl over the next 5 years. Playing for a perennial loser will cut him off from other opportunities post-NFL.
Putting together last years Panther team was a huge accomplishment. Letting Josh Norman go intodays passing league may be insurmountable. Bringing back Ginn was good, so now bring back Norman.