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Memo to New York Giants fans. Just because general manager Jerry Reese said "we investigate everything" when asked for his thoughts on star cornerback Josh Norman having suddenly become a free agent don't fool yourself into thinking Norman could be a Giant.
Simply, and bluntly, put -- it is not going to happen. The word "investigate" does not mean the Giants are "interested" or that they would "pursue" Norman, or any other player. It could mean they go as far as the Twitter timeline of Odell Beckham Jr. to remind themselves of why they should stay as far away from the former Carolina Panthers cornerback as possible.
Norman has about as much chance of becoming a Giant in 2016 as I do of replacing Eli Manning at quarterback. In case you didn't know, I'm a 55-year-old guy who has torn his left Achilles tendon twice and hasn't played quarterback since eighth grade. Unless, of course, you count the Turkey Bowl I played in about a dozen years back.
What is it that makes anyone think bringing Norman to the Giants is a good idea? Understand first and foremost that the issues between Beckham and Norman aren't your standard one game, shake hands and move on because we're teammates now kind of thing. It runs deeper than that.
Beckham is the Giants' best player. He is a transcendant, once-in-a-lifetime talent. Why would the Giants do anything to alienate him, to risk making him unhappy? Why, with a first-year head coach would they risk bringing in a player like this who could implode the entire locker room?
Remember something else that Reese mentioned during his Thursday press conference. That "you want to get guys in here who want to be good team players, who are good locker room guys. Not a lot of "me" guys."
I have never met Norman, but you get the idea that he is one of those "me" guys. There is a reason why Carolina Panthers GM Dave Gettleman, with a Super Bowl-caliber roster, just walked away from one of the most talented cornerbacks in the game.
Gettleman was asked about it Thursday, and it's about far more than the money. The locker room culture was part of it.
Besides which, the Giants have an enormous amont of money already invested in cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Sure, they need a slot corner and they need some depth. They don't need Norman, and the potential to divide the locker room that he would bring to New York.
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As a side note, why is it that every time a team releases a player with a recognizable name the "the Giants have to sign that guy right now" comments pour in? I understand that everyone wants the Giants to get better, to add talent, to win. I fail to understand, though, how often people overlook the fact that there are reasons why guys get cut loose. Not every player -- no matter how talented -- is right for every team.