Josh Norman of the Carolina Panthers looks on during Super Bowl 50. (Photo : Getty Images/Ezra Shaw)
The Carolina Panthers have withdrawn their franchise tag on Pro Bowl cornerback Josh Norman on April 20, Wednesday. He is now a free agent who can sign anywhere he wants with many teams like the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins showing interest.
"We have decided to rescind the Franchise Tag freeing Josh to immediately become a UFA. We thank Josh for all his contributions and truly wish him well," Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman said on the team's official website.
Gettleman revealed that the team and Norman's agent did not reach an agreement. The 28-year-old cornerback has played his entire career in Carolina since being selected in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
Norman played his best season last year during the Panthers' run to the Super Bowl where they fell short against the Denver Broncos. He was selected to play in his Pro Bowl and was also named as an All-Pro first-teamer for last season.
The South Carolina native is an unrestricted free agent and teams are starting to make contact with him. According to Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer, about eight to nine teams are eager to talk with Norman's representatives. He named the 49ers, Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers as some of the teams that are interested.
Niners, with a ton of cap space, among teams that called about Josh Norman, per source. Others incl. Bucs, Steelers, Dolphins.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) April 21, 2016
In a report by Yahoo! Sports, the Jacksonville Jaguars also are keen on signing Norman as they have more than $50 million in cap space. The Jaguars have shown interest to the 2015 Pro Bowl cornerback even before he was tagged by the Panthers.
San Francisco also have more than $50 million available for free agents and are looking to improve their secondary unit. Norman reportedly wants a salary of about $15-16 million per season and for multiple years.
Carolina only offered him close to $14 million per year but the player probably feels like he is worth more than that. On the other hand, the Dolphins want Norman to play alongside Byron Maxwell and form a good partnership.
Check the video below for some of the Norman's highlights from last season.
