Josh Norman isn't Patrick Peterson. He doesn't have that kind of overall talent or man-coverage ability. And I hope the Washington Redskins realize that, because if deployed correctly, Norman can be an immediate upgrade for a defense that needs more speed and playmakers.
In talking with coaches around the league, they were impressed with the closing speed, physicality and ball skills he showed for the Carolina Panthers last season. Norman finishes plays and has the size (6-foot, 195 pounds) to match up outside of the numbers.
The player comps I heard? Think of Nnamdi Asomugha or Asante Samuel. Those are guys who played with a high-risk, high-reward mentality.
"He's a good player, not great. Only four picks this year and seven for his career. Great in that scheme," an NFL defensive backs coach said. "I like his competitiveness and toughness, but his great picks are one inch from disaster."
So how will Norman transition from a zone-heavy defense that rarely asked him to be a lock-down, press cornerback?
First of all, it's important to understand that Norman won't be asked to live and die in man coverage every snap. You don't sign a player with Norman's skill set and put him in that situation.
While some coaches see him as a product of Carolina's system, it's not like Norman was protected in Cover 2 all season long. The front four in Carolina? Sure, that helped the secondary, but rush and coverage is a two-way street. Cornerbacks still have to finish plays and bail out the front at times too.
This was a diverse coverage scheme -- three-deep, man-to-man, quarters -- while bringing both man and zone pressure. Plus, as with any zone coverage, the cornerback is essentially playing man-technique down the field.
The Panthers played some matchup stuff versus vertical routes. Outside leverage in Cover 3 or Cover 4, funnel the receiver inside, drive to the up-field shoulder. Technique. All day. And Norman produced.
So I would expect Redskins defensive coordinator Joe Barry to play Norman as that outside a third of the time in three-deep zone coverage, mixing in some man schemes and opportunities for him to patrol the flat.
High-risk, high-reward guys like Norman need to be given the freedom to make plays, and Barry will do that. How? By putting him in a position where he can impact the point of attack. Maybe that's more "trap" coverages, with Norman lying in the weeds to rob the outside cuts, or some combination-man schemes, in which he can work out of an aggressive trail technique with immediate safety help.
Yes, playing the core zone schemes are Norman's strength, and Barry will mesh in some Cover 1 (man-free). That's in every defensive playbook in the NFL. But when you have a corner like Norman who can jump routes and make big plays, catering part of the game plan to maximize his talent is the smart thing to do. Barry should look outside of the box a bit here with Norman and get the most out of his new No. 1 cornerback.
Is the money -- which is for $75 million over five years ($15M per) according to ESPN's Adam Schefter -- a little rich for a guy you can't consistently ask to shut down half of the field in "cat" coverage? Maybe. Norman has had only one season of high-level production.
But this is the way the free-agent game works. In the NFL, the really good players who make it to the open market get payed like great ones. Just look at what happened on Day 1 of free agency this year, when mega deals for Malik Jackson, Olivier Vernon and Janoris Jenkins flooded the market.
And after the Panthers pulled the plug on Norman's franchise tag ($13.9 million for 2016), the cornerback was suddenly in a position to cash out. As the same coach told me, "Cornerbacks are in demand. And the supply is low, so they get paid a premium."
No harm no foul for the Redskins. This is a massive upgrade for a secondary that has to play Dez Bryant and Odell Beckham Jr. twice per year.