Josh Norman Returns to the NFL

Veteran cornerback Josh Norman is back in the NFL after spending the last few months as a free agent. Well, with a banged-up secondary, the Buffalo Bills signed the 35-year-old to its practice squad.

Obviously, Norman has familiarity with head coach Sean McDermott, who he spent the first four of his career with in Carolina. This also marks his second stint with the Bills, having played nine games for the organization back in 2020.

After not getting signed prior to the 2022 season, it looked as if retirement was a possibility for the Greenwood, South Carolina native. But as the Carolina Panthers made a late run at the playoffs at the end of last season, interim head coach Steve Wilks hopped on the phone and brought him back to Charlotte to help a young secondary try to make the postseason.

Norman played in two games for Carolina last season, making eight tackles. He didn't see much action in his first game against Tampa Bay but made the start in the regular season finale against the New Orleans Saints.

In my final chat of the season last year with Norman, I asked him about the possibility of playing in 2023. Here was his answer.

"Honestly bro, those two guys right there in the corner [Jaycee Horn and Donte Jackson], those two guys right over there are going to have to tug at me hard. I ain't going to lie. If they're like, dang, come on man we cannot do this without you kind of thing...I don't know. Seeing their growth and their evolution is really what I would come back for. Obviously championship [too]. It's the only thing I haven't done in my career. Like, I've kind of done everything. Like what else more you want me to do? It's kind of what we want to do. At the end of the day, like, the only thing we need to do is just...win a championship. Sh*t, we went already we just didn't win it."

You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook & following us on X:

Facebook - @PanthersOnSI

X - @AllPanthers_ and Schuyler Callihan at @Callihan_.