Norman signs with Redskins

[Buffalo_Nickel_1]

scott has signed big high price'free'agent in the past nate clement and probaly some seahwks there is nothing wrong spending top dollar on a fa once every2 to 3 years as long as we have depth first back in the past when we signed high price guys we had no depth i think are depth at cb is good enough thats why scott pulled the trigger if norman starts to suck toler and dunbar can fill the role and we will not lose a beet its like scott is building depth first befor we pay big bucks for starters

 

[gkekoa]

SM believes in spending top dollar if the player is at the top of the game. Norman was.

 

[skinsdad62]

And I'll close by saying this. That is your opinion of common sense. Dan doesn't have to be in the War room to influence personnel. In fact, I doubt he had and influence on draft picks in recent years. I do not doubt that Dan's presence is felt (and his glee at big name signings) in moves like signing Norman. As I intimated earlier, I believe scot was behind this, but dan's eagerness in such moves makes it very easy to forget ones "principles" that Scot has always touted. Wouldn't you agree that Scot has violated the tenets that he has always maintained in building a football team (building a team through the draft, avoiding big name FAs, taking care of your own first, etc)?

he violated those tenets before with the 49ers we he signed clemons (?) to a big deal i think this was an SM call all the way

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Jerry Brewer folks...an outstanding article from him...again.

And Jerry has seen McLovin' in action before personally...in Seattle.



The contrasting styles of the top seven NFL defenses from a year ago intersect at one trait: They’re all built with elite secondary play. Look back on those teams — Denver, Seattle, Houston, the New York Jets, Arizona, Carolina and Kansas City — and you’ll find either the majority of the league’s best cornerbacks and safeties or the best defensive systems for limiting the high-scoring, pass-crazy offenses of this era.

Go a step further and recall the past four Super Bowl matchups. In that cluster of eight NFC and AFC champions, only one team didn’t rank among the top 11 of the league in opponent passer rating — the 2013 Denver Broncos, which finished 16th of 32 teams in that category and wound up getting smashed, 43-8, by Seattle in Super Bowl XLVIII.

As the NFL goes deeper into this age of passing, with rules that restrict too much physical play against wide receivers and offensive innovation that remains ahead of defensive resistance, it’s almost impossible to be competitive without paying special attention to the secondary. That truism should’ve been glaring this past postseason, when Denver and Carolina made it to the Super Bowl by putting on a modern-day defensive clinic. Both teams were great in the front seven, but their secondaries made them special. In the end, the Broncos won a championship by frustrating the greatness out of Tom Brady in the AFC title game and then Cam Newton in the Super Bowl.

So if you’re wondering why the Washington Redskinssprinted to pay former Carolina cornerback Josh Norman top dollar when he became unexpectedly available, consider those facts. There’s no way that this team, which allowed the eighth-most passing yards in the NFL last season (258 yards per game) and the 11th-worst passer rating (96.1), can continue to develop and repeat as NFC East division champion without improving its ability to limit pass-centric offenses.

Washington appears to be the latter now. It really does. The most important thing is the way the contract is structured. The five-year deal breaks down to a two-year contract with $36.5 million fully guaranteed, with options to go another three years for an additional $38.5 million. Eric Schaffer, the team’s vice president of football administration, helped negotiate a creative contract that gives the front office flexibility moving forward.

McCloughan won’t be hamstrung when it’s time to reward his draft picks. That’s why he can still say the franchise is building through the draft and supplementing in free agency. Washington didn’t sign Norman to be a savior. He won’t have to attempt to cover up so many holes that he can’t play to his standard. He’s a piece, a big piece, of the puzzle. There are more pieces to come, but Norman might expedite what could’ve been a long rebuilding process.

Could this move be a bust? Of course. There are no guarantees. But this time, the franchise won’t fail because it made a decision out of desperation. This front office knows what it has done. The fact that McCloughan’s plan is flexible inspires confidence, not trepidation. Rigid team-building is a loser’s approach.

“We’re always game-planning ahead,” McCloughan said. “We always want to be ahead of the curve. We’re going to take care of our own, and that’s the most important thing. We’re going to draft well, and we’re going to go forward.”

With Norman, they have a No. 1 cornerback to compete against Odell Beckham Jr. and Dez Bryant, two of the great wide receivers in a division that, when every team is healthy, can put up some passing numbers. Norman can be a vital part of raising the level of play for a Washington defense that allowed the fifth-most yards in the NFL last season.

This team can’t return to the playoffs with the league’s 28th-ranked defense and a non-existent rushing offense. Winning isn’t sustainable with those two deficiencies. That’s why Norman is here. With his name atop the cornerback depth chart, Washington suddenly looks more intriguing. Bashaud Breeland, who showed great improvement last season, looks even better. The other cornerback options do, too. There will be greater competition. McCloughan doesn’t have to spend a high draft pick this week on a cornerback, either. The defense’s primary needs are now at tackle, safety and inside linebacker.

“This team, I’m telling you, is on the rise,” Norman said.

The crazy thing is that he’s not rallying the believers with those words. They were already forming a line before he arrived.

 

[Burnsie]

I think the Redskins also had cap space available for this year. And they were looking for a player that would help the team but had not found anything that jumped out just yet. So they decided it was a perfect fit with what they needed (secondary help) and having the funds available to make the move.

 

[Caliskinsfan]