The Detroit Lions need to make an irrational decision on Josh Norman. Yes, an irrational decision. A dumb one. Sign the man to a free agent deal for way more than he’s worth.
The Detroit Lions should take advantage of the stupidity of the Carolina Panthers.
Why the hell would you rescind the franchise tag on someone who wasn’t injured, arrested, or about to be suspended is just dumb from a franchise’s perspective. You don’t have to pay the guy if he holds out and you still control the player’s destiny. If he wants to continue to make money playing professional football, he has to play for you. With no news breaking along side Josh Norman’s release regarding suspension, arrest, or injury, so the Detroit Lions need to make an irrational decision and make Josh Norman a contract offer.
According to OverTheCap.com, the Lions have $16.5 million dollars in cap space with free agency effectively over. You could add another $6 million to that number when they release Linebacker Stephen Tulloch. With nothing to spend that cap space still available on the market besides Josh Norman, the Detroit Lions should make an irrational decision and sign Josh Norman to a long term deal. If we wanted to dump even more, the Lions could axe Tight End Brandon Pettigrew and save another $3.65 million. Those two moves combined would give the Detroit Lions could have over $26 million dollars in cap space to make a move this year.
Why do I say irrational? Because the deal would be for six years or longer and for a stupid amount of money. The guaranteed portion would have to be under control, but I wouldn’t be afraid of throwing $100 million dollars over six or seven years, if that’s what it takes to get the job done. Josh Norman is just that good, especially in the aggressive man coverage that the Detroit Lions like to play. I wouldn’t guarantee more than $50 million of the $100 million, but that could be enough to get the job done.
In order to make this work and not put the Detroit Lions in the financial bind that the previous administration did the deal would have to be heavily front loaded. I’m talking over $20 million dollars in year one. Here’s how the rest could break down that would work for both sides.
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Totals |
| Salary | $22.5 | $22.5 | $20.0 | $15.0 | $10.0 | $10.0 | $100,000,000 |
| Guaranteed | $22.5 | $22.5 | $5.0 | None | None | None | $50,000,000 |
Keep in mind, the deal would effectively be a three year deal worth $50 million to $65 million dollars. If he is still playing at a high level after the first three years, then $15 million dollars is a bargain for a Cornerback of his caliber. If his play declines, then you just cut him loose guilt free.
Keep in mind, Bob Quinn needs to get extensions done with Cornerback Darius Slay and Defensive End Ziggy Ansah very soon as well. The Lions would have to make the hypothetical Josh Norman deal work where they can still get these done. Slay and Ansah will command significant raises, but with the $8 million from Riley Reiff likely not to be retained and the Calvin Johnson contract fully coming off the books, you can afford to get this all done.
Josh Norman is really that good. Pairing him with Darius Slay would make an epic defensive backfield rivaled by none in the National Football League.
Let’s be irrational on Josh Norman. The Detroit Lions should try and get this done.