Even with the Redskins’ depth ,the loss of Norman will have an impact

by Jamual Forrest

October 12, 2017

The Redskins lost star cornerback Josh Norman in their week four matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs with a rib injury. He’s expected to miss four weeks at most, and even though Washington has solid backups in Quinton Dunbar and rookie Fabian Moreau, the drop-off between those two and Norman is insurmountable. Norman is considered an elite cornerback in the NFL, although Dunbar had a solid outing against the Chiefs, he will likely be tested against solid receivers in the following weeks. That is a test not many is sure he will pass. Moreau will likely step up in Norman’s absence too, and while he has all the measurables, he is still only a rookie. Fabian gave up a couple of critical catches Monday night to extend drives for Kansas City and there is no doubt coaches and quarterbacks will continue to pick on him until he proves himself.

Norman’s absence will be felt in the secondary, but the question is by how much? Because of the depth, many are confident it won’t be huge, but quantity does not always account for quality, and that is what Norman was. This stretch of the season is critical for the defense – how well coached are the Redskins? Inexperienced players will be playing alongside Bashaud Breeland and, based on past performances, it is something Washington doesn’t truly deal well with. The Redskins may catch a break coming out of their bye week with the San Francisco 49ers receiving group, but it does not get easier following them with the Eagles, Cowboys, and the Russell Wilson-led Seahawks to close out the second quarter of the season.