Oct 30, 2016; London, United Kingdom; Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman (24) deflects a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green (18) during game 17 of the NFL International Series at Wembley Stadium. The Redskins and Bengals tied 27-27. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Josh Norman ended up in Washington as part of a highly publicized falling out with the Panthers organization. On Sunday, he will face his former team for the first time.
The Redskins’ home game against the Panthers on Sunday is already meaningful, with the playoff race on the line. For Redskins cornerback Josh Norman, however, the game has an added significance: the Panthers are his former team. Norman said the following of the contest, per Jamie Oakes of 247sports.com:
“This will be a fun week,” Norman said during his press conference immediately after the Redskins’ 27-22 win over the Eagles last Sunday. “They know what time it is.”
Other than that comment, Norman, who is notoriously outspoken and often inflammatory, seemed surprisingly coy about the matchup. He will have a chance to speak in-depth during his Monday Night Football interview, which airs during Sunday Night Football.
More from Riggo's Rag
Norman’s stint with the Panthers ended poorly, to say the least. The Panthers and their star cornerback parted ways this past offseason after a career year for the athletic cornerback out of Coastal Carolina, whose excellent ball skills (19 passes defended, 4 interceptions in 2015) and ability to cover the field landed him a Defensive Player of the Year nomination. Indeed, Norman’s strong play in the secondary may well have landed the Panthers in the Super Bowl last year. Despite his excellence, Carolina handled his contract in a somewhat puzzling way.
Norman asked for a contract worth $15-16 million per year. However, the Panthers chose not to meet that. Instead, the opted to use the franchise tag. Norman did not sign it, and the situation remained in a stalemate for a month, until Panthers GM Dave Gettleman unexpectedly rescinded it. Abandoned, Norman took his talents to the free agent market, where he eventually landed his $15 million here in Washington.
Although Norman’s relationship with Gettleman is permanently soured, there does not appear to be any bad blood between the cornerback and his former head coach, Ron Rivera. Rivera spoke at length about Norman in a recent press conference, and offered lots of praise, per Max Henson of Panther.com.
“He’s a unique talent,” Rivera said. “It’ll be fun. He’s going to have a challenge, we’ll have a challenge. And we’ll just see what happens. It’s going to be a unique set of circumstances seeing him out there. He’ll bring his best game. He’ll want to play well. And I know our guys will want to play well against him.”
Next: Do The Panthers Have Any Regrets?
Dec 4, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman (24) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Redskins 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Panthers May Feel Some Remorse
Rivera also admitted that he and Norman still communicate. He sent his former Pro Bowler a get-well-soon text after Norman sustained a concussion against Detroit in Week 7. In fact, at times Rivera even seemed to be a little upset that Gettleman felt it best to use the nearly $14 million of Norman’s contract on other players, according to ESPN’s David Newton.
“We saw the ability,’’ Rivera said, referring to Norman’s initial struggles in the league before becoming an All-Pro talent. “We got frustrated with him, and he’s stubborn and hard-headed, but tremendously talented — and we know that. You don’t give up on talented players. That’s one of the things Dave [Gettleman] always used to chirp to us about. We just don’t give up on talented players.’’
However, on this talented player, Carolina did give up. And while the Washington defense has benefited from Norman’s expertise, the Carolina defense has been left with a gaping hole — and it shows.
Although Carolina’s defensive woes cannot be blamed entirely on the secondary, the team is paying the price for letting their colorful cornerback walk. The Panthers have the third-worst pass defense in the league, allowing 272.4 yards per game. Previous offenses have been able to easily exploit gaping holes in the secondary for big plays. Norman’s absence also impacted the important metric: wins. The Panthers currently sit at 5-8, last in the NFC South. At this time last year, they were 13-0.
Still, the Panthers are not an easy draw. Norman will certainly face a challenge from former teammate Cam Newton, who has been at his best against the Redskins. Whether he is covering big target Kelvin Benjamin or scrappy return man Ted Ginn Jr., Newton, the 2015 NFL MVP, certainly has the ability to exploit any mismatch.
For his part, Newton did not seem overly concerned about the matchup with his former teammate and friend, whom he still plays basketball with during the offseason.
“It’s not a game about him versus us,” he said, according to SBNation’s Harry Lyles. “We just need to win this game.”
In a playoff race in which this game is a must-win for the Redskins, Norman will have to outdo his former team and permanently prove that Carolina’s loss is Washington’s gain.
