CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As the Carolina Panthers are making a late-season push for their first playoff appearance since 2017, they've decided to sign a player who has helped them get there in the past.
On Monday, the Panthers signed cornerback Josh Norman to the team's practice squad. Norman was recruited to work out with the team on Monday after starting cornerback Jaycee Horn suffered a wrist injury in Saturday's win over the Detroit Lions.
Panthers fans should be familiar with Norman. He spent the first four seasons of his career (2012-2015) with Carolina and was a big part of the defense that pushed the team to Super Bowl 50 in the 2015 season.
Norman was an all-pro cornerback during that 2015 campaign and was regarded as one of the league's top defensive backs at the time.
He departed the Panthers after that stellar season to play for Washington for four seasons before spending one year each with the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers.
"I want to not just go to the playoffs, but go on a deep run," said Norman after being signed on Monday.
Although he's just on the practice squad, for now, the team can elevate him to the team's active roster in time for Week 17's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Interim head coach Steve Wilks is also familiar with Norman's work. Wilks was the Panthers' defensive backs coach from 2012 to 2017 and helped Norman turn from a fifth-round draft pick into a top defender in the league.
The Panthers (6-9) sit in second place in the NFC South, just one game behind the Buccaneers (7-8). Sunday's matchup between the two teams is a pivotal game for Carolina, who can greatly increase their playoff chances with a win against the Buccaneers.