Josh Norman Signs With the Washington Redskins

Josh Norman just got paid!

Only two days after the Carolina Panthers released the All-Pro cornerback, he signed a fat contract. It’s a 5-year deal for $75 million and an unspecified guarantee with the Washington Redskins. All it took was on trip as a free agent for Norman to become the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL.

It goes without saying the multiple teams were interested as teams contacted him minutes after he was released Wednesday. But the Redskins flew him in on the team’s private jet with no intentions for letting him leave unsigned Friday. There was no to play games as no is the time to get something done with the draft kicking off next week.

This is by far the biggest splash of 2nd-year general manager Scot McCloughan’s time in Washington. Until now, he’s been conservative in free agency, looking for solid players at a decent price. But with the way Norman played last year, McCloughan couldn’t resist and gave him all that guaranteed money.

Is a zone-corner worth that kind of money?

He did benefit from a good pass-rush so will he be the same with the average one the Redskins have now?

Did the light come on in his fourth year or is it just one year?

The Redskins are going to find out quickly as Norman will see Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Antonio Brown, Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant and New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. over the first three weeks in 2016. If he comes out of that gauntlet okay, the Redskins made a nice investment.

Either way, they better build up that pass-rush in the draft!