Carolina Panthers News and Rumors: Josh Norman Skipping Team Workouts Next Week

By Jenn Loro - 20 Apr '16 06:50AM

Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman is reportedly not attending the team's voluntary offseason workout program which kickstarts on April 25.

Currently, Norman and the Panthers have not reached an agreement that would secure his $13.95 million franchise tag. The player is not yet under any contract for now, so there's no real incentive to him on the field for the said workouts unless both sides change their minds.

If the two camps agree on a deal favorable to Norman, he is expected to earn around $15 million to $16 million in a long-term contract that would make him NFL's most expensive cornerback, a pricey status that New York Jets Darrelle Revis currently holds at $14,024,212 as reported by ESPN.

Currently, the Panthers' top brass are reluctant to splurge on the cornerback. GM Dave Gentleman recently said that he'd probably feel a little more comfortable to give in to his financial demands one year after he plays under the franchise tag.

The two sides should have until July 15 this summer to make the agreement official or Norman will still play the 2016-17 under franchise tag. So far no roundups seem to indicate both parties have bridged the gap in this wait-and-see game.

If the South Carolina native decides to proceed under the one-year tag, he would have tied with Trumaine Johnson for the fourth-highest paid cornerback next to Seattle Seahawks' Richard Sherman ($14 million), Arizona's Patrick Peterson ($ 14.01 million), and New York Jets' Darrelle Revis ($14.02 million) according to WRAL Sports Fan.

How important are the voluntary workouts prior to the start of the regular season?

The mandatory minicamp is important to get the players in shape ahead of regular season kickoff. Norman still has the option to do workouts on his own but he may run the risk of losing the guaranteed $13.95 million tag worth if he gets injured while not under the contract.

"He [Norman] also runs the risk of getting injured while working out on his own, a scenario in which the Panthers could conceivably rescind the tag," Charlotte Observer reported.