All signs point towards Josh Norman’s eventual exit in Washington

Norman was benched before Sunday’s game and played a minimal role on special teams, signaling his time in Washington is almost up.

Depending on who you talk to about the circumstances surrounding Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman, you might get different answers.

Interim head coach Bill Callahan will tell you that Norman has been playing injured for much of the season, and that’s why he was benched in Sunday’s 19-16 victory over the Detroit Lions — Washington’s first win at FedEx field since 2018. Defensive Coordinator Greg Manusky might tell you that the benching came out of frustration, and a desire to get more repetitions for young players on the roster, like Jimmy Moreland, who started the game on Sunday.

Fans will likely tell you they don’t care why he sat, rather they are just happy to see him anywhere but the field.

Whatever you may hear, a new story is coming out now about Norman’s status in Washington, and it’s got all signs pointing towards an offseason exit.  According to Ben Standig with The Athletic, Norman was benched for his lack of performance, and the decision was made all the way back in the middle of last week, before he popped up on the injury report as questionable on Friday; before he was reported as inactive, then as active, on Sunday morning.

“I love Josh, and I’m proud of him in the way he’s handled things,” Callahan said, via The Athletic. “He’s a true pro in a lot of ways, and you can’t say enough about his professionalism.”

He may handle things the right way in the locker room, always doing what’s best for the team in the current situation, but the same couldn’t be said for his performance on Sunday. While he was relegated to some minimal special teams work, Norman…played at his own pace against the Lions.

According to Standig, Norman was given the choice as to whether or not he would be active or not, and with some contract incentives in mind, the veteran CB chose to suit up. He literally was there to cash a check, and little else.

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