Josh Norman realized too late the Panthers weren’t bluffing.
The All-Pro cornerback made a desperate last-ditch effort to sign the $14 million franchise tag with Carolina — even offering to fire agent Michael George — but the team still rescinded the offer, making Norman a free agent. Norman went on to sign a five-year, $75 million offer with the Redskins, but still was hurt by the Panthers’ move.
“It came out of nowhere. It really did,” Norman told Redskins.com. “I got sideswiped – I didn’t see it coming.”
Norman played the first four seasons of his career with the Panthers, and led a dynamic defense that pushed the Panthers to to Super Bowl this season. The Redskins moved quickly once Norman was released.
“When [the franchise tag was rescinded] it was crazy because Mr. Bruce [Allen], the President, hit [me] up right away with a jersey, No. 24,” Norman told the site. “And the crazy thing is I didn’t see it until a day and a half later because I was still getting over the fact of what was going on. Being somewhere 28 years all your life and just in a blink of an eye, gone, just like that, I’ve just never been without a job … That small amount of hours, everything went rapid and I came up here and it just felt right.”