Carolina Panthers

The Panthers' decision to let Norman walk is starting to look like an all-time blunder

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:04 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

Dieter Kurtenbach

It’s easy to forget now, but the Carolina Panthers let Josh Norman walk away in April.

They had him under contract, and then they opted to revoke that contract and let one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL sign with any team he pleased. It was a swift, clean break that shocked the NFL.

The reason the Panthers let Norman walk: They didn’t want to keep negotiating a contract extension.

The Washington Redskins quickly signed Norman to a monster deal. The Panthers opted to select a few cornerbacks in the NFL Draft with the No. 62, No. 77, and No. 151 picks.

The Panthers are now 1-3, and while there’s been a regression along the offensive line and injuries to running backs, the big reason for Carolina’s clear decline is simple: The Panthers' defensive secondary might be the worst in the NFL.

If only they had a guy like Josh Norman to lock down one side of the field.

The Panthers’ secondary had been exposed, but not quite burned in the first three weeks of this season — a game like Sunday’s was waiting to happen.

Other teams have aimed to exploit the Panthers’ glaring weakness — the cornerbacks are average-at-best and safety play has been atrocious — but Trevor Siemian (in his first game), Blaine Gabbert, and Sam Bradford (in his third game in Minnesota) weren't able to execute at a level capable of embarrassing Carolina.

Matt Ryan and Julio Jones had no problem executing at that level Sunday.

Ryan completed 28 of 37 passes for 503 yards and 4 touchdowns in the Falcons' 48-33 win over Carolina in Atlanta Sunday. Jones caught 12 passes, amassing an astounding 300 receiving yards.

No one on Carolina could cover anyone on Atlanta on Sunday. Jones was a man possessed, but Ryan sprayed passes all over the field — there was no restriction from arguably the best defense in the NFL last year.

Having Norman on the field might not have changed the final outcome — the Panthers still have other glaring problems — but Jones wouldn’t have gone for 300 yards either.

Norman’s presence on the Carolina defense was such that it helped the rest of the team do its job — one side of the field was Josh’s. Now, Carolina is attempting to run the same system as last year with Bene Benwikere and it doesn’t translate.

The Panthers, who played a lot of base defense last year, are now substituting into nickel and dime packages frequently, which isn’t doing anything to stop their opponents’ passing game, but it is providing opportunities to run the ball. If the Panthers opt to remain in a base formation to stop the run, Thomas Davis, who has excellent awareness and diminishing athleticism, is an easy target for quarterbacks to pick on if they’re bored of burning the cornerbacks and safeties.

The Panthers’ pass defense problems weren't obvious until there was a void. It’s clear now: Norman was the linchpin that made the Panthers’ defense work, and when Carolina let him walk, they jeopardized not only their Super Bowl chances, but it appears now their playoff chances as well.

And the best reason we’ve got to explain why the Panthers let Norman become a free agent? He was annoying in contract negotiations.

"We were at an impasse," Panthers head coach Ron Rivera told Sports Illustrated in May. "Things weren't happening, and the one thing we didn't want to do is go into training camp not knowing."

Norman is eccentric and can be aggravating. You know what else is aggravating? Allowing 300 receiving yards to one player. But the Panthers’ didn’t want a short-term “distraction” so they created a long-term problem.

The decision to rescind Norman’s franchise tag is beginning to look like a turning point for the Panthers’ franchise.

share

Get more from Carolina Panthers Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Carolina Panthers

Washington Commanders

National Football League