JNo - To Tag or Not to Tag?

[tukafan21]

I 100% believe Norman will be signed to a somewhat team friendly deal this offseason for a few reasons....

1. His personality, he knows most teams aren't run like Rivera has done with this team as of late, he is letting the players be themselves, and most teams in the league won't let Norman be Norman like Rivera has allowed him to this year. 

2. He wants to win, you could see it when they showed him crying on the sideline after the game, and you can see it all year in the way he acts.  He doesn't want to take the top dollar a mid level team will throw at him, he wants to be on a championship caliber team, and most don't or won't throw $15 million a year at him.

3. His age, he knows he can be tagged each of the next two years and be "stuck" playing for about $12 million for two years and then be a 31 year old going into unrestricted FA.  He's not getting $15 million a year at that age, hell, he might not be getting above $10 million a year at that age.  So you take the $11-12 a year for the next 4 years now and be happy with it.

4. This squad, yes Norman is a shut down corner in his own right, and he knows that.  But he also knows that a big reason he is able to do what he does is the front 7 this team has on defense with him.  This defense has got to be a dream for DB's to want to play in because of the pressure the rest of the team creates, so why would he want to go anywhere else for just a million or two more a year?

I would be surprised if Norman is playing in 2016 on the franchise tag, very surprised

[coralreefer_1]

I would prefer to tag for next year, and then let him walk if he didnt sign a VERY team-friendly deal.

I love his play like everyone, but the dude is just weird. So far that isnt a problem, but at some point...some day...he is going to go too far over the top with his personality, or the things he says, or the stuff on the field. Something is going to happen with him, and it wont be pretty.

[Squirrel]

Top 3 cornerbacks in the league make $14 million a year. Then Joe Hayden makes 13 million. After that everyone else is $10 million or below. If we cut loose Johnson and Allen we will be close to 40 million under the cap.  

 

It is all up on what the Panthers and Norman want. If Josh would go for 4 year at $13 million I see no reason why the Panthers wouldnt.  That would be Top 5 money and not breaking the bank.  Josh wouldn't get guaranteed money and security. Panthers would get Josh in his prime. 

[CarolinaCoolin]

We are either signing him to a 4 year deal or we are letting him walk. Tagging isn't an option. This is Josh's only shot at a long term deal where his value is at its highest. By tagging him you rob him of millions of dollars. On Igo's podcast he directly asked him if getting tagged after balling it would be viewed as disrespect and he said he wasn't going to answer that in a very telling "yes I would but I can't say that" 

also Josh will still be 28 for the majority 2016, 29 for the majority of 2017, and wouldn't be playing at 30 until the 2018 season. 31 at 2019, and 32 at 2020. Josh is hardly going to be washed up. Was taken in the same draft as Luke. I'll be curious to see how y'all want to handle KB when he comes off his rookie deal at 29

[CPcavedweller]

Tag, bring back Hardy on a one year deal. Start using Shaq the way he was drafted to be used, as a safety/linebacker ala Kam Chancellor, bring in some CB depth and the defense will be as stout as they have ever been.

 

[uncfan888]

Try to work out a deal, but he's definitely getting tagged if not 

[tondi]

Josh has to decide if he can turn down 30-35 million in, more or less,  guaranteed money just to risk making 14 guaranteed and then getting paid based on what he does next year.  I hope he chooses the former for his and the teams sake.

[Bronn]

Tag him if a deal can't be worked out beforehand... Then work out a deal and rescind the tag...

[teeray]

Whatever makes sense.  

Sign him if we can.  Tag him if we can't 

[MrBubba]

Make him what you think is fair offer for a guy that shut down the other teams best wr's most of the year, if he says yes, great, if not tag him

[Rocky Davis]

6 minutes ago, Bronn said:

Tag him if a deal can't be worked out beforehand... Then work out a deal and rescind the tag...

If the tag has to be placed on him, I hope this is how it works out.....for JNo and the Panthers!

[imminent rogaine]

Are we free to sign him right now? I know we could have extended him during the season and that other teams can sign him after free agency starts but are we allowed to sign our guys right now?

[PandaPancake]

I'm sure Gettleman listens to what he wants and will make a fair offer. It's not like it's Byron Bell

[KB_fan]

2 hours ago, Bronn said:

Tag him if a deal can't be worked out beforehand... Then work out a deal and rescind the tag...

If this is doable under the rules (I know little about tagging & contracts), I see it as very likely.  We're 5 weeks behind the curve in a sense in preparing for next season.  (NOT THAT ANY OF US ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT!!!)  But, it does mean less time for getting stuff done, and negotiating with Norman may take time Gettleman doesn't have right now preparing for Free Agency & the Draft...

One other factor I think might influence Josh's decision to work out a deal is the locker room.  He is SO into Thieves Ave. and his "band of brothers"   The chemistry is really powerful.

Gettleman said explicitly today he is "not afraid to use the franchise tag" if it's the best thing for the team.  He wasn't talking specifically about Josh, but certainly everyone understood that was what was implied.

I used to think Josh was pretty crazy / unstable and early in the season I might have not cared so much about resigning him, but boy, he has SHOWN ME SOMETHING this year, just as he set out to do in his contract year when he basically bet on himself.  And I am not talking primarily about skill, those his skill is stellar.  But his passion.  Being the last one on the field at practice.  His total commitment to his craft.  I think he's a guy who's so much more than just his physical skills.  His attitude and off the charts confidence are a HUGE part of what have made him so great this year.  Those are not qualities you can just easily duplicate and plug and play with some new draftee....

So: my prediction is Josh won his bet.  It may take some time.  The tag may come first.  But at this point I'd be truly truly surprised if Josh did not sign a multi-year contract with the Panthers.