It was pretty obvious that CB Josh Norman would be in high demand after the Carolina Panthers rescinded his non-exclusive franchise tag on Wednesday, making him an unrestricted free agent. The San Francisco 49ers were one of the first teams to reportedly inquire about Norman. However, they may have some competition. Apparently the Washington Redskins have "a very legit offer on the table" for Norman, per CBS insider Jason LaCanfora.
The Skins have a very legit offer on the table for free agent CB Josh Norman I'm told. 49ers' interest is very strong as well among others
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) April 21, 2016
LaCanfora states that the 49ers' interest – as well as others – in Norman remains strong. According to Pro Football Focus, Norman had the third highest coverage grade among corners last season (+16.8) and led all corners with a passer rating allowed of 54.0.
Norman will visit with Washington on Friday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Source: Free agent CB Josh Norman has a visit to the #Redskins tomorrow. They get first crack
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 21, 2016
San Francisco has been very quiet since the start of free agency in early March. They have not done much with their $52.6 million in cap space, an amount that could easily absorb a player like Norman. However, the 49ers typically are not ones to overpay for big names. Washington has nearly $12.2 million in cap space according to the NFLPA.
Norman could fill a big need for the 49ers defense, which finished last season ranked 27th in the league against the pass, allowing 261.2 yards per game. Norman was part of a Panthers defense that ranked 11th in the league against the pass. The shutdown corner started all 16 games last season for Carolina and had four interceptions for 110 yards, two touchdowns, 18 passes defended, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.