Stats & Info

          How much do the Panthers miss Josh Norman?

          Former Panthers cornerback Josh Norman has been productive in his first season with his new team. Getty Images, USA Today Sports
          • Bryan Ives, ESPN Stats & Information
          Dec 15, 2016, 11:16 AM ET

          There is no question the loss of cornerback Josh Norman has affected the Carolina Panthers’ pass defense negatively this season.

          Last season, Norman played almost exclusively outside the painted numbers and helped the Panthers limit opponents to 11 touchdown passes in that area of the field. They’ve given up 14 touchdown passes on such throws this season, and there are three games left.

          Overall, the Panthers have allowed 24 passing touchdowns and have 15 interceptions. Last season, those numbers were 21 and 24. The Panthers this season are worse in completion percentage and yards per attempt than last season.

          Instead of keeping Norman, the Panthers went young, selecting three cornerbacks in the 2016 draft. Two of those rookies -- James Bradberry and Daryl Worley -- have combined to start 18 games this season. The third, Zack Sanchez, is on injured reserve.

          The salaries of those three cornerbacks total $1.7 million against the cap this season. The franchise tag for Norman would have cost $13.9 million this season and an unknown amount if the two sides agreed on a long-term deal beyond this season.

          The Panthers began the season 1-5 before reaching their bye week. In that span, opposing quarterbacks had a Total Quarterback Rating of 77, second-highest in the NFL.

          The Panthers’ entire pass defense, however, has improved since then, They are 4-3 since the bye, and their opponents’ QBR of 51 in that span is fourth-lowest in the league. That stretch includes three games without All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly.

          The improvements might be due as much to the Panthers’ pass rush as to the improvement of the young cornerbacks. The Panthers had 12 sacks through six games, ranking in the middle of the league, but 27 in their past seven games. That is four more than any team over that span. The Panthers’ season total of 39 sacks leads the NFL.

          With Washington, Norman is still good

          Norman is one of two players in the NFL this season with at least 10 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and an interception. The other is Byron Maxwell of the Miami Dolphins.

          Norman has more pass breakups (10) than the Panthers' trio of rookie cornerbacks (a combined seven) this season.