Josh Norman is nothing if not a confident man.
The Carolina Panthers cornerback burst onto the scene in his fourth year as a pro, transforming himself from an up-and-comer to a legitimate superstar in the 2015 NFL season.
Norman finished the season with 56 tackles, four interceptions, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two touchdowns. It was a remarkable performance that will undoubtedly earn him a ton of cash this offseason in the open market.
Norman believes he deserves to be the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year, according to David Newton of ESPN.com.
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Ultimately, he said his goal is to win a Super Bowl, but winning the individual award would clearly mean a lot to Norman.
He has some stiff competition, though.
Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, with his NFL-leading 17.5 sacks and countless other impact plays will likely win the award for the third year in a row.
If not him, then next on the list would likely be defensive tackle Aaron Donald of the St. Louis Rams, who blew up opposing offenses on a regular basis and registered 11 sacks. Oakland Raiders defensive end/outside linebacker Khalil Mack, with 15 sacks, would likely be ahead of Norman as well.
Still, nobody can discount what an outstanding year Norman has put together.
Playing a pivotal role on the league’s most dominant team, he has certainly staked his claim as one of the NFL’s best players. Norman routinely blanketed the league’s top receivers on a weekly basis and earned the label “shut-down corner.”
He and his teammates have an extra week to prepare for the playoffs and will await the lowest remaining seed left following the wild card games this weekend.