After a good three weeks cornerback Josh Norman has found a new employer: He will be working for the Buffalo Bills. There he signed a one-year contract for six million dollars.

Norman had come to Washington in April 2016 thanks to a very rare and strange procedure: In Carolina, he was under the new Redskins head coach, Ron
Rivera, become one of the best cornerbacks in the league. When his contract expired, the Panthers first gave him the Franchise Day in early March. Six weeks later, however, they withdrew that Franchise Day and immediately made him a Free Agent, a process that never happens with such a star player. The then General Manager Dave Gettleman, who now holds the same position with the Giants, is still silent about the actual reasons.

It took just two days before the Redskins awarded him the highest cornerback contract, up to 75 million dollars for five years. Norman was never able to follow up on his Carolina performances; the year before he even found himself on the bench and played just two games, even though the Redskins had a lot of demand for his position. The farewell of the player, who is often called a bit difficult, saved the Redskins $12.5 million in salary cap, leaving three million dead cap hits behind.

Now it was clear that 32-year-old Norman would not get a similarly highly remunerated contract. To what extent the so-called prove-it deal will pay off for him, time will show. If he can come close to the old times, there might be a bigger payday next year. He has probably not necessarily dreamed of the conditions now concluded.

The Bills have a good cornerback in the roster, Tre’Davious White, the first round pick of 2017, but he is entering his last regular contract year (although it is assumed that the Bills will take the option of a fifth contract year). In addition, Norman will be looking for season with Levi Wallace, Taron Johnson and Kevin Johnson.

In the Bills, Norman will also meet with his former Carolina defensive coordinator, under whom he served from 2012 to 2015. Sean McDermott has been a successful head coach for the Buffalo Bills for the past three years, and this is likely to have had some influence on Josh Norman’s team selection.