Redskins' Josh Norman: Dez Bryant is 'just a guy,' 'he doesn't wow you'
The Norman-Dez feud continues
If you were expecting the feud between Redskins cornerback Josh Norman and Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant to be put on hold during the offseason, you were so wrong.
On Thursday, Bleacher Report's Tyler Dunne published a Q&A with Norman. During that interview, Bryant's name came up, as expected. Also expected: Norman didn't shy away from taking some shots at Bryant.
From the story:
Let's get into a little word association with receivers. Dez Bryant?
That's a guy. Just a guy. Dez was Dez in 2012, '13, '14. Maybe '14. Now? He's a guy.
There's no specific aspect to his game that pops? He's bland?
He doesn't "wow" you. For me, he don't. For other guys, he probably will do the worst to them because he'll bully them. But you can't bully a bully. You know what I'm saying? That's why his game doesn't resonate to me.
Norman went on to claim that he isn't the one who trash talks with opponents. "I have conversations with people," he said. He called his trash-talker label a media creation.
OK, then.
So, here's the thing: Norman's not really wrong about Bryant since 2014. In the past two seasons, Bryant's only appeared in 22 games, catching 81 passes for 1,197 yards and 11 touchdowns. Those are numbers elite receivers post in single seasons -- not two. Of course, injuries have played a role in Bryant's diminished production. That's worth noting.
As for Norman, his numbers diminished in 2016 after making the move from Carolina to Washington. He notched three interceptions (he had four in 2015) and allowed a 74.3 passer rating in coverage (he allowed a 58.1 passer rating in 2015), per Pro Football Focus. That's just nitpicking, though. Norman was a top-level cornerback for the Redskins last year -- just like how Bryant is an elite receiver when he's on the field.
Norman and Bryant's feud peaked last year when the two were involved in a tussle on Thanksgiving. After the game, Bryant used Twitter to proclaim that he "exposed" Norman. That's not all Bryant said.
And the comments above aren't the only controversial ones Norman made in that interview. He also took some shots at Giants receiver Odell Beckham, saying he's a "a big kid."
If you can't already tell, Bleacher Report's entire interview with Norman is worth a read.
















