Washington Signs Josh Norman
1:38pm: Coming into Friday with less than $12MM in cap space, Washington looks to have backloaded the cornerback’s deal, with Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac.com tweeting Norman’s 2016 cap number will be $8MM. The team has set payouts of $17MM and $20MM to Norman in 2017 and ’18, respectively, but can reasonably get out of the deal after the 2017 season. Should Washington come to regret this contract, it can move on from Norman after 2017 with a $9MM dead money blow, Ginnitti reports.
SATURDAY, 8:45am: Albert Breer of the NFL Network describes the contract as essentially a two-year deal (via Twitter). The $36.5MM in guaranteed money will be paid over the first two seasons, and Norman will also receive a $500K per-game roster bonus in 2017.
After that, it will be up to Washington. Breer notes that the organization will have to make a decision by March 2018, as that’s when Norman’s injury guarantee (around $13.5MM) becomes fully guaranteed.
FRIDAY, 9:49pm: Norman received a $15MM signing bonus, and will earn $20MM total in 2016, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
8:36pm: Norman will receive $36.5MM in full guarantees, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter links), who adds that Norman will receive $51MM over the first three years of his contract.
7:34pm: Washington has officially announced the signing.
6:39pm: Free agent corner Josh Norman has agreed to terms with Washington, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter link). Norman will sign a five-year, $75MM deal that includes $50MM in guarantees, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links).
Norman had been visiting Washington’s facilities all day, and the club was reportedly trying to lock up Norman without letting him leave for other visits. Late interest from New Orleans clouded matters, as reports within the past hour had indicated that Norman was deciding between Washington and the Saints, but it appears that he’s decided to head to the national’s capital.
Ever since the Panthers shockingly rescinded Norman’s franchise tag earlier this week, the star cornerback had been drawing interest from all corners of the league. The Jaguars, Buccaneers, Bears, Titans, 49ers, Dolphins, Steelers, Jets, and Falcons were all linked to Norman, while Carolina GM Dave Gettleman yesterday declined to shut the door on a possible reunion. Washington and San Francisco (and given today’s reports, New Orleans) were thought to be Norman’s most serious suitors.
Norman had reportedly been targeting $14MM+ annually, and per Rapoport, Norman will have surpassed that total — a $15MM yearly salary would make Norman the highest-paid corner in the league. In terms of guaranteed money, Norman’s $50MM would also rank first among corners, and by a significant margin — Darrelle Revis would be second with $39MM in guaranteed money. Of course, we’ll have to wait and see if that $30MM figure is fully guaranteed, or simply for injury only. Still, given that Norman would have earned only $13.952MM under the franchise tag with the Panthers, he comes out a clear winner.
Norman, 28, enjoyed a career-year in 2015 as he was named to the All Pro first team and selected for his first Pro Bowl. After producing career highs in both interceptions (four) and passes defensed (18), Norman is in great position as he demands a multi-year payday. Norman was well-regarded by advanced metrics as well, finishing as the league’s 12th-best corner by Pro Football Focus’ grades.
Washington will now field one of the better corner tandems in the NFL, with Norman teaming with Bashaud Breeland in the defensive backfield. Additionally, Norman will head to the NFC East, where he’ll face the Giants’ Odell Beckham Jr. — with whom he notably sparred last season — twice per year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
National Writers React to Washington Signing Josh Norman
ESPN.com’s Matt Bowen writes that Josh Norman played with a “high-risk, high-reward mentality” while with the Panthers, a product of the team’s “zone-heavy defense.” Some fans may expect the cornerback to transition into more of a lock-down defender, but the writer notes that Washington will put Norman in a position to succeed.
Bowen predicts that defensive coordinator Joe Barry will use Norman in a variety of different formations, whether it be a deep three-man zone coverage or man-on-man opportunities. Ultimately, the writer believes it was a good signing for Washington, especially considering the presence of Odell Beckham and Dez Bryant in the division.
Let’s check out some more notes surrounding Washington’s signing of the All-Pro cornerback…
- The Panthers reportedly offered Norman $44MM over four years, tweets Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer.
- The signing of Norman may remind some in Washington of the lucrative deal signed by Albert Haynesworth in 2009, writes ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio.
- ESPN.com’s John Keim says the signing follows Washington’s recent trend of “unexpected” but “impactful” additions. The team added wideout DeSean Jackson in 2014, and they signed linebacker Junior Galette last offseason.
- While the 49ers were reported to have interest in Norman, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee writes that the organization never made a hard push to sign the corner. The writer adds that Norman never scheduled an interview with the 49ers.
Chris Culliver's Roster Spot In Danger?
Earlier tonight, Washington signed cornerback Josh Norman to a five-year, $75MM deal that includes $31.5MM in full guarantees. The contract marked the culmination of a whirlwind few days which began when the Panthers rescinded Norman’s franchise tag, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent. After receiving interest from 10+ clubs, Norman lands in the nation’s capital.
Let’s take a look at some of the fallout from and reaction to the Norman/Washington pact…
- The Panthers offered Norman a four-year, $44MM deal, a source tells Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). It’s unclear if Carolina made this offer to Norman before or after they pulled his franchise tag, but either way, the club clearly wasn’t interested in coming close to the $15MM yearly value that Norman was targeting.
- The Saints reportedly made a late push to sign Norman, and Drew Brees wanted to help New Orleans’ secure the cornerback’s services. According to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Brees was willing to modify his contract in order to find the funds to sign Norman. Brees only has one year left on his deal, so a restructure isn’t possile — he would have had to accept a paycut or sign an extension to free up cap space.
- Chris Culliver‘s roster spot could now be in danger, as the Washington cornerback might now be expendable given that Norman is on board, as Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweets. Culliver’s 2016 $8MM guarantee voided as a result of his 2015 suspension, and though reports indicated that Washington wouldn’t enforce that clause of his contract, there hasn’t been any official word as to the clubs’s stance, so it’s unclear where exactly Culliver stands. Rich Tandler of CSNMidAtlantic.com doesn’t believe Washington will cut Culliver, instead allowing him to act as the team’s nickel corner.
- The 49ers were thought to be a serious contender for Norman, but Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com thinks (via Twitter) that San Francisco left the bidding when it got a sense of how high the price tag was going to go.
Washington A Fit For Reggie Ragland?
The Jets have been eyeing linebackers Reggie Ragland (Alabama) and Kamalei Correa (Boise State) in recent days, according to Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com. Ragland, specifically, would act as a future replacement for veteran David Harris, but he could be in play as high as pick No. 13 to the Dolphins. However, Washington and the Packers are seen as the most likely landing spots for Ragland, per Pauline.
Let’s take a look at some more draft rumors, all courtesy of Pauline…
- The Giants have been linked to wide receiver Laquon Treadwell, but Pauline speculates that New York could trade down from the No. 10 pick before selecting him. The Titans (pick No. 15) would make for an ideal trade partner, and they could move up with their sights set on offensive tackle Jack Conklin.
- Conklin is a popular name in the top half of Round 1, as Pauline reports that the Browns are interested in the Michigan State product with the eighth pick. Conklin would act as a replacement for Mitchell Schwartz, who departed via free agency, at right tackle.
- The Panthers lost Josh Norman after rescinding his franchise tag, but they have their eye on another corner in the draft, as Pauline says Carolina could select Southeastern Louisiana defensive back Harlan Miller at the end of the third round. Miller had a private workout with the Panthers earlier this month.
- Some general managers think Ohio State’s Nick Vannett is the only true three-down tight end available in the draft, which could help his stock. The Chargers and Falcons will consider taking Vannett in Round 2 or 3, per Pauline.
Josh Norman Updates: Friday
Thursday’s reports on cornerback Josh Norman suggested that Washington and the 49ers were the frontrunners for the former Panther, with both teams discussing five-year contracts. Norman is headed to D.C. first, which could give Scot McCloughan‘s club the upper hand in negotiations, but nothing has been finalized yet.
Here are the latest Friday updates on Norman’s situation, with new items added to the top of the list throughout the day:
5:47pm:
- Norman is down to Washington and the Saints, who are making a legitimate push for him, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link). The Saints have the second-lowest cap space in the league ($3.44MM), so they’d have to get creative to sign Norman, Schefter adds (on Twitter).
4:32pm:
- Norman did file the necessary paperwork on his agent switch, but there are still some logistics to work through as the corner tries to avoid having to wait five days to sign somewhere, per Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter links).
- The 49ers are “in deep” for Norman, tweets CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports (on Twitter) that they and Washington are in a two-team race for his services. However, Michael Silver of NFL.com doesn’t expect San Francisco to make a serious run at signing Norman (Twitter link).
3:16pm:
- Norman has family with him at Washington‘s facility, including his mother, reports John Keim of ESPN (Twitter links). That would seem to bode well for the team in its attempt to reel in Norman.
1:32pm:
- Norman is in Washington as the team’s facility now, and it would be a surprise if he left without a deal in place, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
- Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) hears that, in addition to Washington and the Niners, there are three more teams who are “strongly in [the] running” for Norman. Two of those clubs are the Jaguars and Buccaneers, per Cole’s source. Based on the Jags updates below, it doesn’t sound as if Jacksonville is a probable landing spot for the star cornerback.
12:44pm:
- Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) would be surprised if Norman lands with any team besides Washington or the 49ers, and adds that the deal is expected to be worth upwards of $15MM per year, which would make him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. Norman will likely reach an agreement by Saturday, says Cole.
- The Titans have been cited as a potential suitor for Norman, but after exploring the possibility, the team won’t be in the mix, says Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones also confirmed, unsurprisingly, that Norman’s price tag is too rich for his team (Twitter link via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
- Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com lays out a few reasons why the Panthers may have decided to move on from Norman.
- Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell, who acknowledged his team has interest in Norman (as noted below), admitted that the two sides are far apart on the cornerback’s perceived value. Caldwell added the Jags haven’t made a formal contract offer, and talks didn’t progress to the point where a possible visit was discussed (all Twitter links via Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union).
11:18am:
- Norman is scheduled to arrive in Washington and begin his visit with the team this afternoon, as Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. Per Anderson, Norman is inclined to keep his options open and explore other opportunities, while Washington will make a strong effort to sign him before the visit ends.
- As Mike Jones and Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post explain, Norman informed his agent – Michael George – on Wednesday that he was firing him, but the paperwork for that move has yet to be filed with the NFLPA. If Norman were to officially fire George and move forward with agent Ryan Williams, he would have to wait five days before negotiating a new contract. As long as both agents are technically representing him, Norman can enter into contract talks immediately.
- Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell confirmed today that his team has “continuing interest” in Norman, and is doing its homework on the standout cornerback (Twitter link via Tad Dickman of the Jaguars).
- Lions wide receiver Golden Tate would “love” the chance to be teammates with Norman in Detroit, but GM Bob Quinn has been noncommittal about the idea of pursuing the corner, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
Josh Norman Visiting Washington
10:00pm: Norman could have an agreement with Washington by the end of the day tomorrow, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link), who adds that the deal is expected to be quite lucrative.
6:29pm: Norman is discussing five-year deals with both Washington and the 49ers, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Norman is expected to command at least $14MM, per Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), while Schefter says any deal will come in between $14-15MM.
5:39pm: Norman will visit Washington tomorrow, per Rapoport (Twitter link).
5:34pm: Washington and the 49ers are considered the frontrunners for free agent cornerback Josh Norman, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Washington, in fact, has a solid offer on the table for Norman, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, who confirms the 49ers’ strong interest. As Mike Jones of the Washington Post notes (via Twitter), Norman can’t finalize a deal for a few days since he recently changed agents.
Norman, of course, has been the hottest non-draft story in the NFL since the Panthers rescinded his franchise tag yesterday, making him an unrestricted free agent. The Buccaneers, Dolphins, Rams, and Titans have all expressed interest, while Carolina general manager Dave Gettleman declined to close the door on a possible reunion.
Norman’s camp is all about exceeding an average of $14MM per year while still shooting for $15MM/year, La Canfora reported earlier today. Interestingly, he says that his camp does not seem as caught up in total guaranteed money. Last offseason, Darrelle Revis inked a five-year, $70MM deal with a whopping $39MM fully guaranteed. Norman, apparently, would like to edge that AAV while understanding that he won’t approach that gaudy guarantee.
Norman, 28, enjoyed a career-year in 2015 as he was named to the All Pro first team and selected for his first Pro Bowl. After producing career highs in both interceptions (four) and passes defensed (18), Norman is in great position as he demands a multi-year payday. Norman was well-regarded by advanced metrics as well, finishing as the league’s 12th-best corner byPro Football Focus’ grades.
If they are able to land Norman, Washington may be more likely to trade down from pick No. 21, opines John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Keim: Washington Wise To Add Depth At QB In Past
Neither the Broncos nor the Jets talked contract with free agent quarterback Brian Hoyer during their respective visits, sources tell Mike Klis of 9NEWS. Denver, per Klis, is inclined to wait until after the draft to find a new signal-caller, a concept that Jason Cole of Bleacher Report confirms (video link), saying that GM John Elway won’t overpay for a “mediocre” quarterback.
Hoyer, meanwhile, could very well be off the market by the time the Broncos are ready to make a decision at QB. Hoyer now has at least six teams interested in him, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.
Let’s take a look at some other interesting quarterback situations around the NFL…
- The Jets and Broncos should call the Eagles about Sam Bradford, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk opines. With Bradford’s $11MM signing bonus already earned, another team could theoretically trade for the QB and pay him $24MM on a two-year deal with just $7MM in 2016. That $7MM salary is the same amount as what Denver wants to pay Kaepernick and the same sum the Jets want to give to Ryan Fitzpatrick. Of course, the Eagles might not be thrilled about the idea of trading Bradford after having picked up a significant portion of the check on him.
- While Bradford is a good guy, the fact that two teams he has played for have made massive trades to take a top two quarterback is not a resume builder, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. Cole reported earlier tonight that Bradford may ask for a trade from the Eagles.
- The Eagles’ trade for the No. 2 pick is a reminder that Washington has been wise to seek quarterback help in the past even when they seemed set at the position, John Keim of ESPN.com writes. In 2012, Washington drafted Kirk Cousins even though they appeared to have a future star in RGIII. Even though Cousins is installed as the starter now, Keim believes that Washington should get some insurance by drafting developmental QB.
- The Eagles/Browns trade could have a trickle-down effect on the Jets‘ quarterback plans, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes. Cimini believes that the Jets were previously interested in making a move for one of the top quarterbacks and using Muhammad Wilkerson as trade bait, but the cost of moving from No. 20 to No. 2 was unrealistic. The Jets could now miss out on the draft’s third-best quarterback prospect in Paxton Lynch since the Browns could target him at No. 8. The Jets could turn to the next tier of QBs including Michigan State’s Connor Cook and Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg and Cimini hears that Gang Green likes Hackenberg. Meanwhile, the Jets allowed Hoyer to leave his visit without a deal and the team could be putting themselves in jeopardy if they don’t retain Fitzpatrick.
- Pat McManamon of ESPN.com didn’t like the trade down for the Browns because the Browns’ wait for a franchise quarterback continues to drag on. The team is staying true to analytics by trading down, but McManamon argues that even an exceptionally talented team will hit a ceiling without a competent QB. McManamon sees RGIII as the biggest winner of the trade since Cleveland is now putting more faith in him than any other team in the league would.
- A formal indictment in free agent Johnny Manziel’s domestic violence case will be handed down on Monday, reports Jennifer Emily of the Dallas Morning News, who writes that Manziel is likely to face a criminal charge.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Josh Norman Rumors: Thursday
9:56am: The Steelers are not pursuing Norman, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets.
9:09am: Schefter (on Twitter) adds the Jets and Titans to the list of teams that have called on Norman. However, the Jets are only doing their due diligence and cannot afford him, Manish Mehta of the Daily News tweets.
8:51am: Josh Norman‘s representatives heard from as many as ten teams on Wednesday, including the Steelers, Buccaneers, Dolphins, and 49ers, a source tells Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) adds the Rams and Bears to the list of teams that have reached out to the top cornerback. The 49ers, Steelers, Dolphins, and Washington have expressed the most interest in Norman so far, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears.
[RELATED: Panthers Pull Franchise Tag From Josh Norman]
Norman’s camp is all about exceeding an average of $14MM per year while still shooting for $15MM/year, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. Interestingly, he says that his camp does not seem as caught up in total guaranteed money. Last offseason, Darrelle Revis inked a five-year, $70MM deal with a whopping $39MM fully guaranteed. Norman, apparently, would like to edge that AAV while understanding that he won’t approach that gaudy guarantee.
Yesterday, the Panthers shocked the football world when they rescinded the franchise tag from Norman, making him an unrestricted free agent in the later stages of the NFL offseason. The Panthers gave Norman’s agent permission to pursue a trade at his request, a league source Person, but the Panthers decided to cut him loose when that path did not bear fruit. Apparently, the specter of a holdout that gone into training camp and the preseason was not appealing for Carolina.
Norman, 28, enjoyed a career-year in 2015 as he was named to the All Pro first team and selected for his first Pro Bowl. After producing career highs in both interceptions (four) and passes defensed (18).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Brandon Doughty Visited Washington
Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is entering the final year of his contract with the team, but he says he hasn’t given much thought to his future beyond 2016, as Adam Green of ArizonaSports.com details.
“When I committed to doing two more years, I’m focused on two, and after the season — hopefully it’s in February — I’ll sit down with my family and think about it, what I want to do moving forward,” said the longtime Cardinals wideout during an appearance on Arizona Sports 98.7FM. “But it’s been a great run and I really enjoy being in this community and playing for this organization.”
Although it seems unlikely that Fitzgerald would contemplate retirement in the near future if he keeps performing at the level that he did in 2015, he suggested that his future will likely be linked to the Cardinals’ quarterback situation.
“A lot of is tied to (Cardinals quarterback) Carson (Palmer),” Fitzgerald said. “Carson’s playing at a high level. I don’t want to go through any other quarterback situations. It’s been great to have the stability that we have now with the big fella, he’s been playing light’s out.”
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- The Falcons have yet to officially exercise the fifth-year option for cornerback Desmond Trufant, but that’s essentially a formality, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. The Pro Bowl corner intends to remain in Atlanta “for a long time,” as he tells McClure. Trufant is one of more than 20 players whose teams haven’t yet announced decisions on their options for 2017, as our tracker shows.
- The Cardinals, the Bears, and Washington were among the teams to host Western Kentucky QB Brandon Doughty for pre-draft visits, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (via Twitter). Doughty also participated in the Dolphins’ local workout day earlier this month.
- After meeting with Miami earlier this week, Texas Tech wide receiver Jakeem Grant visited the Cardinals on Tuesday and is making his final visit today to Chicago to meet with the Bears, tweets Rand Getlin.
- Iowa State wide receiver Quenton Bundrage privately worked out for the Buccaneers, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Bundrage tore his ACL in 2014, but bounced back in 2015 to catch 41 balls for 548 yards and four touchdowns.
Washington Visited With Virginia Tech Edge Defender Dadi Nicolas
The Jets are currently pursuing free agent quarterback Brian Hoyer, but the Bears could enter the mix for his services if he doesn’t end up in New York, reports Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. Hoyer would be the backup to Jay Cutler in Chicago, which lacks an ideal reserve option. Neither David Fales nor Matt Blanchard has taken a regular-season snap, and Hoyer has an obvious connection to the Bears’ coaching staff in first-year offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. Hoyer and Loggains worked together when the two were in Cleveland in 2014 (Loggains coached the Browns’ quarterbacks).
More from the NFC:
- The Seahawks haven’t made a pick in the first round since 2012, and it’s possible that streak will continue this year, according to Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com, who outlines why Seattle might look to trade down from No. 26.
- Evan Woodbery of the New Orleans Times-Picayune has the details on Tim Hightower‘s new one-year deal with the Saints, tweeting that it’s a minimum salary benefit contract that features an $80K signing bonus.
- The Falcons hosted Virginia Tech edge defender Dadi Nicolas for a pre-draft visit today, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Nicolas has also visited Washington, per Aaron Wilson of NFPost.com, and made previously reported trips to Arizona and Pittsburgh this month.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.