The Carolina Panthers shocked the NFL world by rescinding their franchise tag offer to All-Pro cornerback Josh Norman, making him a free agent.
A decision that caught the entire league by surprise will now have wide-ranging ramifications on the remainder of the offseason, the upcoming 2016 NFL draft included.
Someone of Norman’s ilk rarely hits the open market this late in the spring. Needless to say, a ton of teams are going to be interested in his services.
Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole now has some detailed information regarding who might be interested in the 28-year-old shutdown defensive back:
At least 8 teams have expressed interest in ex-#Panthers CB Josh Norman. Among those are #Bucs, #Dolphins, #49ers, #Rams and #Bears.
— Jason Cole (@JasonCole62) April 21, 2016
None of these names are too surprising. Though, Norman’s reported asking price of $16-$18 million will limit his potential suitors should he actually receive that type of contract.
Among those teams Cole lists, San Francisco boasts the most cap room at over $52 million. Chicago comes in second at $22.6 million while the Buccaneers possess just over $16 million.
We also have this:
First-team All-Pro CB Josh Norman, a fan of the Bay Area, unexpectedly becomes a free agent. #49ers have cap room.https://t.co/Gk7GOldWzd
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) April 20, 2016
Showing an unwillingness to actually hit the free-agent market this spring, San Francisco is focusing more on the upcoming NFL draft. Though, it wouldn’t be terribly surprising to see the team land Norman.
He fits the type of corner head coach Chip Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke covet. He’d also be an immediate upgrade over anyone on the roster. With $50-plus million in cap room, San Francisco seems like a logical destination for Norman.