Over the course of the past couple months, it’s become clear the next real news regarding Josh Norman will be about one of two questions:

1.) Will he and the Carolina Panthers agree on a long-term contract before the July 15 deadline?

With that answer still likely a ‘no,’ move on to step 2.

2.) Will he show up for the start of training camp?

So this isn’t truly news to anyone paying attention, but it is some housekeeping. According to a source, Norman won’t be with his teammates when they report for offseason workouts next Monday.

Again, that’s not at all surprising. With the two sides far apart in negotiations, Norman is in no rush to sign his franchise tender. Because he hasn’t, he’s not under contract. So he’ll work out on his own — mostly with his Atlanta-based trainer — while the rest of the Panthers go through OTAs and minicamp in Charlotte.

There’s, of course, a third question that could crop up over the next few weeks: Will this be a distraction?

It’s too early to stress much about that. Media and fans will likely make it a bigger deal than it is inside the locker room. For the most part, players understand when a guy angles to earn what he believes he’s worth. The problem for Norman is he wants top-corner-in-the-game money and he has little leverage.

So unless Norman takes a multi-year deal at the Panthers’ price or realizes he’s taking a stand he won’t win, he won’t be around this spring. The distraction is minimal, and coaches won’t mind giving younger guys extra reps.

We still have more than three months before players report to Spartanburg. That’s when this story could become more than just offseason filler.