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Ashburn, Va. – With the first formal press conferences going on at Redskins Park since the end of the 2015 season, one might think of today as being the official start of the Washington Redskins’ 2016 season. The NFL draft is three days away and General Manager Scot McCloughan spoke to reporters.
As well, newly signed cornerback Josh Norman formally met with the media for the first time at the facility. The players are finally allowed in the building to workout since the end of last season and both pressers were pretty full.
While today’s presser was labeled McCloughan’s “pre-draft” press conference, there was a lot of talk about Norman and his signing. It became quickly apparent that the acquisition of Norman was absolutely a group effort, not just the owner wanting to make a big free agency splash. This is a good thing. In fact, McCloughan had nothing but praise for the Coastal Carolina product and said he wished he’d been able to get his hands on Norman when he first came out of college.
He’s certainly got him now.
Norman should be entertaining to watch this year. The 6’, 195 lbs. defensive back started all 16 regular season games last year and all three postseason games for his former team, the Carolina Panthers. He had four interceptions (a career high), three forced fumbles and two fumbles recovered. As well, he tied for the league lead in interceptions returned for touchdowns with two.
His success in 2015 landed him a bunch of honors. These included All-Pro selections from The Associated Press and Pro Football Writers Association as well as a sharing of the Pro Football Writers of America Co-Most Improved Player of the Year honors with Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins.
It’s pretty cool for Redskins Nation that he now will no longer be trying to interrupt his co-awardee’s plays.
During Norman’s press conference today, there were a couple of things that stood out about this talented player, one of which is that he is a very colorful and interesting speaker.
Another is that fans do not need to be worried about him becoming one of those big free agent signings that doesn’t work out because the player finally got “paid.” Norman in no way seems to be the kind of guy that will take his money and run and, in fact, speaks of the exact opposite thing. He was asked about now being one of those top-tier CBs with the money he is making and he went out of his way to say multiple times that he has not “made” it. He said that there is a lot more for him to accomplish until he saw someone “different” within.
Another topic of discussion was the big deal made over him by the organization. He seemed a bit awed by it all and, when thinking about from whence he came, this should be no surprise. Consider that he attended Coastal Carolina and was actually a walk-on for the Chanticleers while sleeping on his brother’s couch.
He had a really good career there at Coastal but still was only a fifth-round draft pick. There was not a big deal made about it then and, even though he had a pretty successful 2014 season with two interceptions, 40 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, his name didn’t really get well-known until last season.
Josh Norman is not used to “being recruited” by anyone and said today that it was all still a bit surreal.
Having had such a stellar 2015, one would think he is feeling pretty great about himself. That may well be but he does not feel like he has “arrived.” In fact, he still feels like he has a lot to do and is even more motivated by all of the “ballyhoo.”
“I’m going to work my tail off until I see somebody that’s different,” Norman said about his motivation level. “That’s all I bring. Just work, work, work. Dedication… determination to my craft. Everything else is pretty much irrelevant. That’s what they believed… Mr. Snyder, Scot, Bruce… everybody that was here. The OC, DC, the coach. Mr. Gruden, he’s just so, ‘I want to win.’ That’s what I bring here.”
Not a bit of this was said with any arrogance or boastfulness. It was all very humble in fact.
I was struck by how optimistic he is about his new team. In fact, it is this optimism that brought him to the nation’s capital rather than down to New Orleans to play with the Saints. Having been on a team that has been to the Super Bowl, this should be a comfort to Redskins fans.
“It was everything,” Norman said about the Redskins as a team being a big part of his decision to come here. “When I went around, everybody asked that question. It was pretty much that they went to the playoffs; they’ve got some pieces in place. I looked at it: the quarterback, a franchise left tackle, D-ends, they’ve got defensive backs, wide receivers… I mean running backs. They’ve got pieces in place to be successful. Even the linebackers. I mean one [piece] here and there give or take. They’ve got pieces in place to make a deep run. Then you’ve got [pass rusher] Junior Gallette coming back. I’m super excited at what this team can do and that was a huge part of my decision to come here because of that. They have tasted it so I just wanted to go deeper to the playoffs and see what happens.”
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Throughout today’s presser, Norman was engaging and upbeat and he said some very cool things. Below are just a couple:
“I carried a big bag with me when I came up here. Still got that bag on my back right now – you can’t see it – and when I step between those white lines, I’m going to drop it.”
— On his motivation level after the Panthers rescinded the franchise tag and the fanfare given to him by the Redskins.
“This is the Golden Age of Football. It’ll be the best on the best. At the end of the day, after four quarters, we’re going to see who’s still standing.”
— About playing in the NFC East division
“OBJ got jokes… he really does.”
— On New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr.
“There’s no difference in pedigree and everything is the same and I’m just loving it up and can’t help but a part of something that’s special. Because we’re on the rise, man. You going to get on the train or not?”
— On the 2016 Redskins
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