I am a huge fan of former Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman. He got on my nerves at first, but once he developed and played within the system, he quickly grew on me. But the Panthers don’t need him.

General manager Dave Gettleman and the Panthers rescinded his franchise tag and he became a free agent just like that.

Related Panthers remove franchise tag placed on Josh Norman

They need to pay Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei

I will take a strong defensive line over a great zone cornerback any day of the week. By rescinding the franchise tag Gettleman did just that.

By not having Norman play for the $14 million franchise tag and possibly a long-term contract to boot, Gettleman now has the luxury of paying Short and Lotulelei.

If it were not for their penetration and run-stuffing ability, it would not matter who was playing cornerback. If you have Sione Fua and Terrell McClain playing defensive tackle, the amount of time the opposing quarterback would have made even legend Deion Sanders look bad.

So once Norman drew his line in the sand, Gettleman made the right decision and presumably will use the space to lock Short and Lotulelei down.

The fans trust Gettleman

Since day one, Gettleman had a plan. Fans may not have liked it in the moment, but it has always worked out. Offensive tackle Jordan Gross suddenly retired, wide receiver Steve Smith was released, and then running back DeAngelo Williams was released as well. Gettleman had to in order to have more money for his young core of players, and get more value for the roster. He also had to get out of cap hell.

Astute Panthers fans recognize this.

So if the outspoken Panther du jour to be released is Josh Norman, so be it. In Gettleman we trust.

Cornerbacks are not that important to the Panthers defense

The Carolina Panthers trotted out Captain Munnerlyn and Melvin White as the starting cornerbacks in 2013. They were good, not great. Yet the Panthers finished with 12 wins and a first-round bye.

This system relies on pressure from the front seven, giving the opposing quarterback little time to find open receivers. Granted, Norman was very good, but a strong defensive front can mitigate limited cornerbacks.

And if you have a system that does not value cornerbacks, then the team is not going to overpay for one, even one as good as Norman.

He asked for more than he is worth

I have always been pro-athlete when it comes to an athlete leaving a team to get the salary he or she wants and deserves. If someone else is willing to pay you more for the same job, what is the problem with that?

So if Josh Norman wants to get his, I will not criticize him.

But considering the general manager, the team culture, the salary cap league, and the underemphasis on cornerbacks that this Panthers defense employs, Norman was never gonna get anything close to the $16 million he was reportedly requesting.

He is just not that valuable. By asking for a $16 million, he gave himself a value that is much more than he is actually worth to the Panthers.

He has a history of being a distraction

Anyone who watched the Panthers play the New York Giants last year will likely never forget the feud between Norman and Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr.

The game within the game became so big that Norman nearly caused a Panthers loss and an end to their undefeated season. His antics with Beckham and lack of discipline led to personal fouls, overplaying, a touchdown, and possibly many more.

This was not the first time that he has been a distraction. Earlier in his career he got into jawing matches with team captain Thomas Davis. In training camp last year, he got into a fight with star quarterback Cam Newton.

For a franchise and leadership that prides itself in discipline and character, Norman stuck out like a sore thumb.

The Panthers are bigger than any one player

I love the Panthers organization. Not only because they have been winning recently, but also because they ooze high character from the owner all the way down. They all realize the franchise is more important than any one individual.

Panthers who have signed recently get this mantra. If you want to be part of a high-quality franchise with high character players and coaches, you have to be willing to check your ego at the door, along with a higher salary.

Cam Newton got it last year. Same with Luke Kuechly. Ditto for Thomas Davis, Charles Johnson, and the newest Panther, Brandon Boykin. They all reportedly took less than what they could have earned elsewhere.

If Norman did not get that, then he can go elsewhere and get the payday he deserves. But the Panthers are not the franchise that would do that.

Related Brandon Boykin says he turned down more money to play for Panthers

Final thoughts

He was utterly dominant at times last year. His pick-6 and interceptions against Jacksonville and Tampa Bay last year were a huge reason why they won those games last year. In his final game last year, Norman shut down Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas in the Super Bowl. One could not blame the loss on his incredible performance. And his tears at the end of the game showed how much it meant to him. Alas, the Panthers do not need him and they definitely do not need him at a $16 million salary. I wish him the best of luck and hope he gets the salary he deserves.

Thanks for the memories.

Edgar Salmingo, Jr., is a contributor for Panthers Wire. You can follow him on Twitter at @PanthersAnalyst.