Josh Norman Comments on Panthers Defense After Loss to Falcons

Washington cornerback Josh Norman didn't sound sorry for his struggling former team when he appeared on The Dan Le Batard Show on Monday (h/t David Newton of ESPN.com).

"You get what you pay for," Norman said when discussing the Carolina Panthers' struggles against wide receiver Julio Jones and the Atlanta Falcons.

Jones torched the Panthers for 12 receptions, 300 yards and a touchdown in Atlanta's 48-33 victory Sunday. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan also threw for 503 yards and four scores.

Norman had more to say about the performance, as JP Finlay of CSN Mid-Atlantic shared:

Newton noted the Panthers rescinded Norman's franchise tag in April because general manager Dave Gettleman wasn't keen on giving Norman a long-term deal for $14 million to $15 million per season. However, the 2015 first-team All-Pro may have been worth the money for Carolina against its NFC South rival Sunday.

Newton noted Norman held Jones to 10 catches for 107 yards and zero touchdowns in 2014 and nine catches for 113 last year. The Panthers and Falcons play twice per season.

"I haven't thought about Josh on our defense since the minute he left," Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott said, per Newton. "We have new players in those positions, and I have a tremendous amount of confidence in those players."

That may be the case, but Norman notched four interceptions and 18 pass breakups last year on his way to the Pro Bowl while helping the Panthers claim the league's sixth-best scoring defense and reach the Super Bowl. This year, Carolina is 1-3 and two games behind the Falcons.

The Panthers also let safety Roman Harper walk in the offseason, which left them with an inexperienced secondary. Rookie cornerbacks James Bradberry and Daryl Worley and third-year corner Bene Benwikere were overmatched against Ryan, Jones and the rest of Atlanta's aerial attack Sunday.

"There's no substitute for experience," McDermott said, per Newton.

Carolina has an opportunity to turn things around, though. The Panthers will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals in their next three games. Those teams are all 1-3 as well.

The Carolina secondary, however, will have to perform at a higher level. New Orleans is second in the NFL in passing yards, Arizona is sixth and Tampa Bay is 13th. If that Panthers unit doesn't turn things around, the decision to let Norman leave will look worse and worse as the season progresses.