Josh Norman has never been shy or afraid of saying the wrong thing.
That’s why the Pro Bowl cornerback going the no comment route when asked about his newfound free agency is so interesting.
“Man, I just don’t feel like talking about it right now,” Norman said when he was reached by Associated Press writer Steve Reed early Wednesday evening.
The Panthers announced Wednesday that they’d rescinded the franchise tag that they’d placed on Norman prior to the start of free agency. He’s now a free agent and able to negotiate with any team, the Panthers included, though the team deciding to yank the franchise offer is a pretty strong sign that the Panthers are ready move on.
The team’s announcement regarding Norman’s status included general manager Dave Gettleman saying that the team didn’t think it could reach a long-term deal with Norman, who was drafted by the Panthers in the fifth round in 2012. Rescinding the tag wiped $13.9 million off of the Panthers salary-cap number for 2016.
There figures to be a market -- and probably a healthy one -- for Norman’s services. It seemed such a lock that the Panthers would place a tag on Norman in March that most teams probably didn’t do much research into Norman’s asking price or potential fit with their respective roster and salary cap situations. That probably changed Wednesday.
The last player to have a franchise tag rescinded was Leroy Hill in 2009, and he ended up signing with the Seahawks.
