Part Of Josh Norman's Signing Bonus Deferred To 2017
Justin Blackmon has pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor DUI stemming from a December arrest in Oklahoma, as TMZ writes. This incident marks Blackmon’s second DUI in three years. The former Jaguars wide receiver – who technically remains on the team’s roster, on the reserve-suspended list – was banned indefinitely in 2013 for repeated violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
Here are a few more pre-draft odds and ends from around the NFL:
- One source tells Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter) that the Chargers will not be taking Notre dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley at No. 3. That pick remains shrouded in mystery though, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that “no one knows” who San Diego will draft.
- There continues to be a lot of buzz that the Cowboys will move down in the draft from No. 4, tweets Troy Renck of The Denver Post.
- According to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), $7MM of Josh Norman‘s new $15MM signing bonus with Washington will be deferred until May 1st, 2017. That doesn’t impact the cap hits on Norman’s deal — it simply affects his payment schedule.
- As Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk details, no NFL draft since 1999 has seen five quarterbacks selected in the first round, but if there are teams particularly high on players like Connor Cook and Christian Hackenberg, there’s a chance it could happen tonight.
- Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report takes an interesting look at how teams really make their draft picks, examining the role of team owners, general managers, coaches, and scouts in the process.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Josh Norman Contract Details
All eyes in the NFL world this week are on Thursday’s draft, but a handful of free agents recently signed contracts with teams, and we’ve got some specific details on those deals, courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Let’s dive in…
- Josh Norman, CB (Washington): Five years, $75MM. $15MM signing bonus. Salaries of $5MM (2016), $16.5MM (2017), $13.5MM (2018), $11MM (2019), and $12MM (2020). 2016 and 2017 salaries fully guaranteed. 2018 salary guaranteed for injury only (fully guaranteed if on roster fifth day of 2018 league year). $500K annually in workout bonuses from 2017 to 2020. Annual $200K workout base de-escalator (Twitter links).
- Chris Chester, G (Falcons): One year, $2.35MM. $1.1MM base salary. $250K signing bonus. $1MM in total roster bonuses (Twitter link).
- Greg Zuerlein, K (Rams): One year, $1.25MM. $850K base salary ($250K guaranted). $400K signing bonus. Up to $2.05MM in incentives for field goal percentage, 50-yard field goals (Twitter link).
- Don Barclay, T (Packers): One year, $700K. $675K base salary. $25K workout bonus (Twitter link).
Washington Mulling Trade Down For Karl Joseph?
Cal quarterback Jared Goff and North Dakota State signal-caller Carson Wentz are widely expected to come off the board in that order with the top two picks on Thursday night, but there’s some uncertainty about how the next several picks will play out.
After speaking to several people around the league, Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com takes a shot at forecasting how picks three through eight will go. In Pauline’s view, the most probable scenario would see DeForest Buckner land with the Chargers, Jalen Ramsey to the Cowboys, Myles Jack to the Jaguars, Laremy Tunsil to the Ravens, Ronnie Stanley to the 49ers, and Joey Bosa to the Browns.
Ezekiel Elliott is a wild card – if he’s still on the board at No. 8, the Browns could potentially trade down with a team like the Dolphins – but otherwise Pauline’s predictions for the top eight seem entirely plausible. According to the draft scribe, the Chargers feel like they “desperately” need to add a standout defensive lineman, while the 49ers also covet Buckner, so that’s a situation worth watching too.
Here’s more from Pauline:
- While Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee has frequently been linked to the Falcons at No. 17, Pauline hears that Clemson linemen Kevin Dodd and Shaq Lawson are also in play. According to Pauline, head coach Dan Quinn has been pushing for the team to select safety Keanu Neal, though that’s probably only a possibility if Atlanta trades down.
- Washington wouldn’t mind trading down and nabbing West Virginia safety Karl Joseph, says Pauline.
- According to Pauline, there’s a decent chance that the Titans will use one of their second-round picks to grab Ohio State wideout Braxton Miller, assuming the team doesn’t use any of those selections in a trade. Tennessee will also likely consider Buckeyes linebacker Joshua Perry on day two.
- The Broncos plan on drafting a running back on day three, and Pauline hears that they like Auburn’s Peyton Barber in the neighborhood of the sixth round.
- Teams are already talking to prospects and their agents in an effort to sign those players as undrafted free agents after the draft, and some clubs are creating “bad blood” with their approach to this process. According to Pauline, a couple teams have called potential UDFA targets and told them that they’re unlikely to be drafted. Those players are still optimistic about being mid-round selections, so being told that they’re likely to go undrafted has soured those players (and their agents) on those teams, per Pauline.
Ryan Kelly Unlikely To Pass Washington At No. 21
Earlier tonight, Peter Schrager of FOX Sports took to Twitter to pass along his latest draft buzz. Here’s a rundown of everything:
- Schrager hears that West Virginia safety Karl Joseph is a “sure fire” first round pick (link). This jives with a Monday report which indicated that Joseph was still likely to go in the first round despite a torn ACL. Joseph will likely have to miss a good chunk of the 2016 season as he rehabs from his injury.
- Alabama center Ryan Kelly could end up going in the top twenty, Schrager hears. Teams love him and Schrager believes that he will not slip past Washington at No. 21. Kelly was a consensus All-American in 2015 and widely projected to be a first-round pick in this week’s draft.
- The thought is that the Giants like Georgia linebacker Leonard Floyd and Michigan State tackle Jack Conklin an awful lot at No. 10 (link). Scouts say that Floyd projects more as a potential outside linebacker for a 3-4 team, but the Giants must see a role for him in their 4-3 scheme. Conklin has caught the eye of many teams and the Browns reportedly wouldn’t mind moving down from No. 8 to select him. The Titans also like Conklin and, interestingly, it has been speculated that they could trade up to the Giants’ No. 10 pick to snag him.
- Schrager knows of two teams that have Paxton Lynch as a higher-rated quarterback than Jared Goff (link). Those two particular teams aren’t in need of a QB, but that evaluation of Lynch does speak to his wild card status.
- Even though he’s not getting as much attention as some of his teammates, Ohio State safety Vonn Bell could go late in the first round (link).
- The Steelers are thinking cornerback and Schrager says (link) that William Jackson III and Eli Apple are two names to watch if they’re avaialble when the Steelers are up.
- Other teams in the top 15 have told Schrager (link) that they are hoping the Cowboys will take Ezekiel Elliott at No. 4.
Washington Optimistic About Kirk Cousins Extension
After watching a division rival pay a king’s ransom to take a chance on a rookie quarterback, Washington GM Scot McCloughan has probably been reminded of the value of a reliable signal caller. Apparently, contract talks between the team and its starting QB are going rather well. McCloughan says talks on a long term-extension with Kirk Cousins are “positive,” as Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com writes. The GM added that he thinks a deal is within reach between now and the deadline. 
[Follow Pro Football Rumors On Instagram To See Sneak Peak Of Josh Norman In His New Jersey!]
Washington used the franchise tag to cuff Cousins last month and the QB subsequently inked the ~$20MM tender. However, both sides are interested in working out a long-term deal and they’ll have less than two months between now and the July 15 deadline to make something happen. Cousins reportedly wants a “legitimate” franchise quarterback offer before he considers signing a long-term deal with Washington. That would suggest that he’s seeking a big money deal with fiscal security rather than something like the deals signed by Colin Kaepernick and Andy Dalton, which carry considerable cash but are lacking in the way of guarantees.
It is now perhaps more imperative than ever for Washington to sign Cousins to a long-term deal. Days ago, Washington shook hands with cornerback Josh Norman on a deal which will carry a $20MM cap hit in 2017. If Washington were to exercise the franchise tag on Cousins next season at $24MM, more than 25% of its cap space would be dedicated to two players.
Cousins, 27, became Washington’s full-time starting quarterback for the first time last season, earning 16 of his 25 career starts in 2015. The four-year veteran finished the regular season on a tear, completing 74% of his passes for nearly 1,200 yards, 12 touchdowns, and a 134.0 quarterback rating over the final four weeks of the year.
That end-of-season run helped Cousins cement his standing as a quarterback Washington couldn’t afford to lose, but his first 12 games weren’t too bad either. For the season, Cousins thew 29 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, led the league in completion percentage (69.8%), and helped Washington win its first division title since 2012.
Cousins is represented by agent Mike McCartney.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Washington Notes: Blackmon, Breeland, Cousins
Josh Norman‘s signing with Washington will likely lead to Will Blackmon making the move to safety, Mike Jones and Master Tefatsion of the Washington Post write. Blackmon started 10 games at corner last season. Although Washington signed David Bruton to compete for a starting safety job this offseason, the team has questions on the back line. Kyshoen Jarrett‘s status is unknown after a season-ending injury, and career-long corner DeAngelo Hall‘s full-time transition to the position will come in a season where he turns 33.
Jones and Tefatsion also point out that Bashaud Breeland looks like the favorite to start alongside Norman for Washington this season, since 2015 free agent acquisition Chris Culliver‘s $8MM base salary is non-guaranteed. Washington would take on $3.75MM in dead money if the club decides to release Culliver, Pro Football Focus’ second-worst full-time corner last season.
Here’s more from around the NFC, including a couple more notes on how Norman’s signing affects Washington:
- Speaking of Breeland, when he first heard the news that Norman was heading to Washington, he “took it as disrespect,” he admitted during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio (SoundCloud link). However, he came to view the signing as a “chess move” that will not only improve the team, but could also allow Breeland himself to improve by working with one of the league’s best corners.
- Landing Norman shouldn’t negatively impact Washington‘s chances of getting a long-term deal done with quarterback Kirk Cousins or any of the club’s other key contributors, writes John Keim of ESPN.com.
- Panthers running back Cameron Artis-Payne was arrested after police recorded him driving 102 mph in a 65-mph zone, per WSOCTV (on Twitter).
- The Eagles brought in Auburn cornerback Blake Countess for a pre-draft visit last week while clubs were still permitted to host prospects, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link).
- The Saints held pre-draft visits with Washington linebacker Travis Feeney and Nebraska offensive lineman Alex Lewis, reports Joel Erickson of the Advocate. Both prospects project as Day 3 picks, and Lewis is particularly interesting as the college tackle could be moved inside to guard at the pro level.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Josh Norman Offered To Sign Franchise Tender
As he was on the verge of becoming one of the more noteworthy free agents in the NFL’s free agency era, Josh Norman looked for a way to stay with the Panthers.
The fifth-year cornerback called the Panthers and said he’d fire his agent, Michael George, and sign the $13.952MM non-exclusive franchise tender the team placed on him prior to free agency in an effort to further work toward a long-term deal, Mike Jones and Master Tefatsion report in an extensive breakdown for the Washington Post. But the Panthers had already filed the paperwork to rescind Norman’s tender, a source told Jones and Tefatsion, meaning Norman’s attempt was for naught as he was set for an unlikely sojourn into free agency.
Many Panthers coaches reportedly weren’t aware of the move as it was happening, sources told the Post reporters, and some on the Carolina staff wondered if a non-football component existed to induce the team to rescind the tender.
Norman was also given permission to seek a trade earlier as the gulf between the sides grew, and the Rams and 49ers were among the potential partners that could not agree on terms. Although, Norman was not aware how far apart the Panthers and George were on terms — a chasm that reached $25MM in totality — which hovered at the root of the 28-year-old All-Pro volunteering to fire his agent to help facilitate a deal in Carolina, the Post duo reports.
George sought a five-year deal averaging $16MM per season, which would have put Norman above Darrelle Revis among cornerback contracts, but the Panthers weren’t willing to go past $12MM AAV. According to a source, Jones and Tefatsion note the Panthers did not want to allocate that much money to a cornerback, a position the Dave Gettleman-managed franchise doesn’t value as much as front-seven cogs, when defensive linemen Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei entering their fourth years. Without a fifth-year option that exists for Lotulelei, Short is entering a contract season.
One of 11 teams who expressed interest in Norman, Washington ended up negotiating a five-year, $75MM accord for Norman with Ryan Williams, who took over as the ex-Coastal Carolina cornerback’s primary representative.
Washington’s top decision-makers were in agreement on Norman, according to the report, and the team had the parameters of an agreement in place on Thursday. DeAngelo Hall also met with Norman prior to his Washington visit to persuade him on joining the team.
Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images
More Fallout Of Josh Norman Deal
The addition of Josh Norman should pay big dividends on the field for Washington, at least for the next couple of seasons, but Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com is already looking ahead to the difficult choices that the team will have to make in 2017 as a result of the deal. For instance, Tandler suggests that Washington is gambling it will be able to sign Kirk Cousins to a long-term contract sometime before the start of the 2017 league year. If it has to put the franchise tag on Cousins again next season, at a projected value of $24MM, then Cousins and Norman, whose 2017 cap hit is $20MM, would be taking up more than a quarter of its overall cap space, a clearly untenable situation.
Further, regardless of what happens with Cousins, the Norman contract will also force some difficult decisions with regards to Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson, Jordan Reed, Junior Galette, and Chris Baker. Of course, Washington was probably not planning on retaining all of those players anyway, but it is now a near certainty that at least a couple of those players will be moving on after the 2016 season, particularly Garcon and Jackson. As such, Tandler further opines that the Norman contract increases the likelihood that Washington will take a wide receiver early in this week’s draft.
Now let’s take a look at some more notes from the league’s East divisions:
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com weighs in on the Norman contract, and his examination of the overall contract, the cash flow, and the guarantee structure reveals that the deal is even more favorable to Norman than it appears on the surface, and is arguably the best contract for a cornerback in the entire NFL. The whole article is worth a read, but since the contract structure indicates that Washington wants to retain Norman for at least the first three years of the deal, Fitzgerald believes the key for Washington is to let this be the one risky contract the club signs in the next two years and not compound the risk by restructuring in 2017.
- Jets head coach Todd Bowles and GM Mike Maccagnan have very different quarterback philosophies, as Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com points out. Bowles believes he can win with a competent game manager as long as he has a strong defense, whereas Maccagnan thinks teams should draft a quarterback every year and create something of a pipeline. Those differing viewpoints may well lead to a real conflict for New York on Thursday, when the team could have the opportunity to draft Paxton Lynch–the last time it could draft a first-round quarterback talent for the next couple of seasons, as the 2017 and 2018 classes of signal-callers are considered very lean–or it could fill a major defensive need by selecting a cornerback or an edge rusher. For what it’s worth, Cimini believes the Jets will pass on Lynch and will ultimately re-sign Ryan Fitzpatrick while continuing to groom Bryce Petty.
- Adam Beasley of The Miami Herald has grown weary of the newly-popular cliche that running backs in today’s NFL are a dime a dozen. As Beasley points out, 14 qualifying running backs averaged at least 4.5 yards per carry in 2015, and all but three went in the first two days of the draft. Plus, four of Pro Football Focus’ 10 highest-graded backs last season were first-round picks; second- and third-rounders made up most of the rest. As such, Beasley suggests that the Dolphins, who currently have only one running back guaranteed to be on the team in 2016 (Jay Ajayi), will take a running back in the early rounds of this week’s draft. Of course, we heard recently that Miami could trade up from their No. 13 overall selection in an effort to land Ohio State star Ezekiel Elliott, but even if the Dolphins don’t have the chance to take Elliott, there are a number of other talented collegiate backs that could be a fit in South Beach and that could be had on Day 2 of the draft. Devontae Booker and Kenyan Drake, both of whom visited the Dolphins in recent weeks, are two such players.
Analysis Of Josh Norman's New Contract
Texas Tech offensive tackle Le’Raven Clark had 10 visits and 12 private workouts for teams in recent weeks, and has two more workouts this week with teams that pick in the back half of the first round, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. While Rapoport sounds bullish on Clark’s draft stock, I think the former Red Raider is more likely to come off the board late in the second round than late in the first.
Here are a few more Saturday odds and ends from across the NFL:
- Although Baylor defensive lineman Shawn Oakman technically doesn’t yet face any charges stemming from his arrest for an alleged sexual assault, his case is expected to be presented to a grand jury, and there won’t be any resolution before next week’s draft, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk details. Per Florio, some observers believe Oakman’s draft stock will be affected to such an extent that he won’t be selected.
- The Dolphins didn’t publicly announce their pre-draft visits with prospects, but Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald was able to confirm 20 of those visits, and notes that the previously-reported visit with USC safety/linebacker Su’a Cravens never materialized, due to a schedule conflict.
- Reports from The Associated Press and The Wichita Eagle provide the latest updates on free agent running back Joseph Randle, who has repeatedly run into legal trouble since being released by the Cowboys in 2015.
- Bryce Johnston of Over The Cap takes an analytical look at Josh Norman‘s new five-year deal with Washington, examining the expected contract value and concluding that the standout cornerback is unlikely to be released until at least 2019.
Josh Norman 'Sideswiped' By Panthers?
Josh Norman admitted the Panthers‘ decision to rescind his franchise tag “sideswiped” him, as the fifth-year veteran was preparing to play in North Carolina again before Wednesday’s changing of his status eventually sent him up the Atlantic coast, David Newton of ESPN.com writes.
Dave Gettleman made his top offer — $44MM over four years — at the Combine but felt the $13.9MM franchise tag cost for Norman could have been spent better elsewhere, as his usual policy is not to spend big on defensive backs, Newton writes.
An extension for Kawann Short will be a likely domino to fall in Carolina as a result, Newton offers. The Panthers now have the fourth-most cap space in the league at $31.17MM, and the former second-round pick is entering a contract year.
Here’s the latest coming from the NFL’s southern contingent.
- The Panthers will look to add a veteran cornerback in the coming weeks, but it probably won’t be an unrestricted free agent, Newton reports. With Norman’s Friday-night defection putting Carolina in position to grab a compensatory third-round pick in 2017, the signing of a UFA corner — and one who hovers far beneath Norman’s career arc — would negate that opportunity. The Panthers will likely target a player who’s been released, with Newton mentioning Antonio Cromartie, who was cut after a one-season reunion with the Jets, as an option here. As of now, Bene Benwikere and Brandon Boykin are the team’s top two corners going into the draft, where Carolina’s need for another talent immediately increased.
- Drew Brees reportedly being willing to restructure his $30MM cap number to help the Saints sign Norman struck Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio as a PR move as the 15th-year quarterback prepares for questions about that figure, which is by the largest in the league in 2016 — $6MM clear of Eli Manning‘s $24MM cap charge. Florio believes Brees was the source for the ESPN.com report that emerged after Norman signed with Washington, and the writer categorizes it as a calculated salvo from Brees in an attempt to preempt backlash that could come from fans realizing his 2016 cap hold was the main reason New Orleans couldn’t afford Norman or a player of his ilk earlier in free agency. The perpetually cap-strapped Saints cut Jahri Evans and Marques Colston in March, making the two Bayou icons the latest such casualties. The Saints have the least amount of space in the league at $2.9MM.
- One of the receivers the Texans brought in for a visit, Leonte Carroo acknowledged the team is looking for a receiver to pair with DeAndre Hopkins, whom the Rutgers prospect spoke to during his Houston tour, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports. “That’s what I’m excited about, that they’re looking for a wide receiver,” Carroo told Wilson. “I fit their system very well. They could use a big, physical receiver like myself on the other side from Hopkins. I feel like I could help them tremendously.” Houston has essentially been seeking a quality No. 2 wideout during the franchise’s entire run, with Kevin Walter‘s late-2000s work representing the best the Texans have coaxed from this role. Carroo also visited the Saints, Patriots and Dolphins and worked out at the Jets’ and Giants’ local pro days.
- The Titans have likely moved on from their interest in former Broncos All-Pro guard Louis Vasquez, Jim Wyatt of Titans.com writes. Cut by the Broncos early last month, Vasquez visited the Titans. But nothing emerged from the eighth-year veteran’s meeting and he remains a free agent. Chance Warmack and Jeremiah Poutasi reside as the Titans’ projected starting guards this season.