The Pittsburgh Steelers have a need - or several needs, depending on your perspective - in their secondary. The Steelers entered this offseason with five unrestricted free agents in their defensive backfield and chose to retain only William Gay and Robert Golden. Josh Norman, the best cornerback in the NFL during the 2015 season, somehow managed to secure his freedom Wednesday afternoon from the Carolina Panthers.
Supply, meet demand.
Now, first things first - lets get the caveat out of the way that the Steelers, even before the arrival of GM Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin, have never been known for splashy free agent signings. Drafting and developing talent, riding homegrown Steelers to the playoffs and beyond - these have long been the hallmarks of the NFL's Pittsburgh-based franchise.
That being said, a report, released in the immediate wake of Norman's departure from the Panthers, suggested that the Steelers were one of the first teams to come calling on the long-limbed cornerback. A further report even indicated that they're among the teams showing the most interest in the big ballhawk.
Considering Ross Cockrell and Shamarko Thomas - young, talented and hard-hitting though he may be - currently sit atop the Steelers depth chart at right corner and strong safety respectively, it makes complete sense that Colbert and company would check in on the possibility of picking up an All-World talent like Norman.
Unfortunately, there's almost no way the financials would work.
The Steelers, as things currently stand, have a little over $3 million in cap space, most of which is likely ear-marked for their 2016 NFL Draft haul.
Norman, per most reports, is seeking a deal somewhere in the $14 million-plus per season range. Norman's camp is apparently less concerned with the overall guaranteed figure, but that's a hefty chunk of change for a 28-year-old corner with one season of truly elite play.
There's also the concern over Norman's personality to consider. The Steelers, though they've made exceptions in the past and looked the other way when franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger got himself into trouble off the field, also aren't known for a willingness to work with me-first players.
Norman, talented and win-oriented though he may be, loves the spotlight. It's hard to see the Steelers being willing to pay top dollar in order to put up with the strange quirks that come with signing him.
But still, someone will pay the former Panther - the San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are said to have reached out as well - it's just a matter of time. The Steelers probably can't (or won't) be the team that adds him, but it's interesting to note that they reached out quickly following his release and are still showing interest.
