NFL Rumors: Washington Redskins Signing Former Carolina Panthers Star Josh Norman

NFL rumors are swirling around Josh Norman. The Carolina Panthers decided to let the talented cornerback walk away in free agency. His asking price was simply too much for them. That made Norman the most coveted player in free agency. A bona fide star in the National Football League was up for grabs. Several teams expressed interest. According to Bleacher Report, the Washington Redskins are going to beat out the San Francisco 49ers in signing Norman.

It makes all the sense in the world for the San Francisco 49ers to be interested in Josh Norman. Their secondary badly needs a superstar. The Niners need someone that can lock down the best wide receivers in the NFL on his own. That alone would make their entire defense that much stronger. Safeties like Antoine Bethea and Eric Reid can then help out the run defense a bit more. San Francisco can also roll their coverage to the weak side with Norman around.

Since the franchise is trying to rebuild themselves into contenders, Josh Norman understandably has some concerns about signing with the San Francisco 49ers. Colin Kaepernick is one of the most discussed players in the NFL. His decline on the field has forced the Niners to worry about their quarterback position. If that is not resolved, then San Francisco isn’t going back to the Super Bowl any time soon.

The Super Bowl is where Josh Norman wants to be. He made it there this past season. Unfortunately for him, the Carolina Panthers were not able to beat the Denver Broncos. DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller were simply too much of a threat to Cam Newton. They attacked him relentlessly as the offensive tackles both struggled to slow them down. Norman got a taste of the big spotlight, so he wants to be back there again.

Of course, money is pretty important to Josh Norman as well. He knows that his value is at an all time high. A lot of people argued that he was the best cornerback in the NFL this past season. Some even feel that he has supplanted Seattle Seahawks star Richard Sherman and New York Jets star Darrelle Revis. It’s a good time for Norman and his agents to request as much money as possible from teams in the National Football League.

The Washington Redskins are not the top candidates to make it to the Super Bowl. However, they are closer to pulling that off than the San Francisco 49ers. The Redskins at the very least have a starting quarterback. Kirk Cousins is signed for another season. Josh Norman can make life much easier for Cousins. A good defense can protect a quarterback from having to do too much to win games.

Though they are no longer the favorite to land Josh Norman, the San Francisco 49ers are not completely out of the running. There are those that believe the 28-year-old can be swayed by a contract that makes him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. He wants approximately $16 million per season. If the Niners threw that on the table, then they would steal him away from the Washington Redskins.

A decision on Josh Norman could be made by Friday. That is when he set to meet with the Washington Redskins. If the offer on the table makes him the top earner at the position, then an announcement could be made shortly thereafter. That would shake up the race in the NFC East. However, if he leaves town without a contract, then you can expect Norman to head out to the west coast for negotiations.

[Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images]