Josh Norman is likely to get paid big bucks in the coming weeks.
A day after the Carolina Panthers rescinded their franchise tag for the Pro Bowl cornerback, word has already come out that Norman is drawing serious interest from multiple teams. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Norman is talking about five-year deals with Washington and the San Francisco 49ers. He is expected to earn around $14 or $15 million per season on such a long-term deal.
The Panthers had franchise-tagged Norman, which would have resulted in the corner making nearly $14 million next season. However, Norman wanted a long-term deal, and Carolina apparently was not willing to give him what he was seeking. Concerned that he would become a distraction/problem via holdouts and more, they decided to let him go.
The Panthers already have a lot of money committed to Luke Kuechly, and they have to worry about long-term contracts for Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei, which likely explains their reluctance to pay Norman that kind of cash.
The 49ers have around $50 million in cap space, while Washington has around $11 million. l
