It's always a major risk when an NFL player enters the final year of his deal without an extension. Football is a violent sport and any given play could be your last. Not having that financial security to fall back on can take its toll mentally. But, sometimes, the risk is worth the reward.
Perhaps no other player in the NFL improved their stock this year more than Carolina Panthers star cornerback Josh Norman. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported this past weekend that Norman and the Panthers had engaged in "intense negotiations" last offseason but remained "far apart" when it came to actual numbers. Obviously, this led to a halt in contract talks and Norman betting on himself to stay healthy and productive so that he could earn a new deal.
Mission accomplished.
Rapoport believes it is now going to take a "record-setting payday" to keep Norman in Carolina. A fifth-round pick in 2012, Norman has improved each year he has been in the league. This past season, however, has seen him truly breakout as a No. 1 shutdown corner and an impressive playmaker (four interceptions to pick sixes). Scouts love him as he passes the eye test and the analytics guys over at Pro Football Focus ranked him as the sixth-best cornerback in the NFL this season.
Of course, teams should always be cautious when a breakout season comes during a contract year. But isn't the whole point of the NFL draft, especially in the later rounds, to find talent you can develop over time? Norman has grown into the player the Panthers obviously thought he could become when they selected him. Now, it's going to take roughly $14 million per year to keep him in town. Fellow No. 1 cornerbacks Richard Sherman, Patrick Peterson and Darrelle Revis are all making similar money.
We'll see what the final figures come out to once free agency kicks off in a few months.
