Report: Cardinals’ OG target Andrew Norwell to sign with Jaguars
Mar 13, 2018, 7:58 AM
Carolina Panthers offensive guard Andrew Norwell sits on the bench during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
The Arizona Cardinals’ won’t be landing the top offensive guard on the free agency market.
Former Carolina Panthers lineman Andrew Norwell intends to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars on a five-year contract worth $66.5 million, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday.
The expected deal will guarantee Norwell $30 million and on average make him the NFL’s most well-paid guard.
Free agents cannot officially sign with teams until the new league year begins on Wednesday.
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Norwell, 26, went undrafted out of Ohio State in 2014 but last season earned First Team All-Pro honors for the Panthers while playing under offensive line coach Ray Brown, who is now with the Cardinals in the same position.
Arizona had Norwell and former Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins atop their list of free agents, 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Mike Jurecki reported on Monday.
At present, the Cardinals have only $19.6 million in cap space but have the ability to free up spending money.
They are expected to cut running back Adrian Peterson at some point, and safety Tyrann Mathieu told NFL Network on Thursday that Arizona asked him to take a pay cut, perhaps indicating that general manager Steve Keim is preparing for the team to make a big free agent splash.
