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Is Carolina Panthers corner Josh Norman an elite cover player, one capable of locking down any top receiver? Or is he a product of the defense, a player who is more of a zone corner than shutdown corner?

I posed that question to several general managers and coaches last week, and these are some of the responses:

"The latter," one general manager said.

"Both," said an offensive coordinator. "Real good zone player with vision on the quarterback. Good ball skills and will sit on routes and take chances. Good competitor."

"Better athlete, but more like Richard Sherman," another GM said. "Great feet, length and anticipation. Plus, he plays physical."

As the Panthers ready for Super Bowl 50 against the Denver Broncos, a lot of the focus will be on the Denver defense, but the Carolina defense is right up there. Norman is a big reason why.

The brash, confident Norman has developed into one of the league's best corners this season, a player who is about to become a rich man when he hits free agency in March.

Josh Norman may be cocky and brash, but he's not yet a true lockdown corner. (USATSI)

The Panthers will either have to give a long-term extension or put the franchise tag on him to keep him on the team.

If it's the former, he might end up being the highest-paid secondary player in the league, which is pretty amazing considering he entered this season as a part-time starter in 2014.

Yes, he came on strong in the final half of that season, but he wasn't viewed as much more than a solid cover player.

Now he's emerged as the leader of the secondary, a mouthy, confident corner, which is what you would expect and want from somebody who plays that position at a high level.

His breakout season has included controversy. He got into the well-publicized tussle with Odell Beckham Jr. in Week 15 when the Panthers beat the Giants. Then as Carolina readied to face the Falcons the next week, Atlanta receiver Roddy White took a few shots, saying Norman was not one of the top cover corners.

"You must be trippin'," he said. "You've got to man up and go out there and get after people if you're going to be that. You can't sit back and play zone, dropping, playing Cover-2 for half the game and say you're locking people up. Come on, man. Everybody knows that."

It's the same type of criticism Sherman has heard in his time with the Seahawks, which is primarily a Cover-3 team. In talking to corners around the league over the years, and again recently, they all insist it's a lot easier to sit back and play zone than be a shutdown man corner.

Denver has man-cover corners in Chris Harris Jr., and Aqib Talib, and they play a lot of it, sometimes most of the game. But in studying Norman's tape, the criticism is valid, though it's not his doing. The Panthers are mostly a zone team.

The Panthers don't like to expose their corners much, although I do think Norman is capable. Plus, he's a great -- not good -- zone cover player. His instincts are phenomenal, as good as any corner in the league.

In studying his tape, there were a lot plays he made in zone coverage that showed great instincts and smarts for playing the position. In fact, when it comes to the cerebral part of it, he's as good as any in the league.

Here's a look at a pick-six he had against Tampa Bay in Week 4. It was a classic case of being great in the zone concept.

On this play, the Panthers are in Cover-2. Or at least it looks that way to Winston. In that defense, he probably expected Norman to get more depth as Vincent Jackson ran his route

But Norman played it as well as you can. He saw that tight end Brandon Myers was running an out into his vacated area, and he jumped it.

His quickness to break on the ball and pick it off was outstanding. You can see by the GIF that Winston knew he was in big trouble as soon as he threw it. These are the types of plays that Norman makes on a consistent basis, even if they aren't all going for six.

Here's another from NFC Championship Game against the Cardinals. It involved Cover-3 zone against John Brown.

On this play, Norman bailed out the snap in the zone coverage. His alignment, facing inside, tipped off the offense that it's zone anyway. When he dropped out, Brown ran a quick out that appeared to be open. But Norman planted, drove on the football and knocked it down.

That's textbook corner play. That takes eyes and instincts in order to make that play. It was close to being a touchdown going the other way. Norman doesn't play a lot of man, but when he does he's been good at it, yet he's also had his moments where he's been beaten.

In the Week 15 game against Beckham Jr., he got beat a few times in single coverage. On the first possession of the game, he was matched up with Beckham Jr. in a zone situation where he carried him down the field. Beckham Jr., beat him for what should have been a touchdown, but he dropped a perfectly placed football. Take a look.

On this play, Norman lined up across from Beckham Jr., and appeared to be locked in man coverage. But he didn't press him and instead turned to run with him. He carried him down the field in this coverage, but Beckham Jr., was able to get separation to the inside with a subtle little push at about the 45.

He beat him hard inside and had clear separation. Beckham Jr., is a heck of a player, but Norman was beat on this play.

Beckham Jr. beat him in coverage later in the game, but Eli Manning wasn't able to get the football down the field. Otherwise, it was another big-play chance. He also beat him with a great out move, but Beckham Jr., again dropped the ball. Beckham Jr. did score on him late to tie the game. On that play, it was man coverage all the way. There was no bailing, no help.

So after studying the tape, do I think Norman is a top-tier corner? There is no doubt about that, but he isn't the same man-cover player of a guy like Patrick Peterson or even Harris Jr., and Talib. That doesn't mean he can't do it, but he hasn't been asked to do it as much.

If for some reason, Norman did hit the market, he would also be attractive to a team that plays a lot of man. That's because he has the skill set to do it if need be. I just think he's become an outstanding zone player.

If the Broncos get him this week, I bet it comes when he's locked up in man coverage. Memo to Denver: He is crafty in zone coverage, and he will bait Peyton Manning all day.