Washington cornerback Bashaud Breeland considered the news of Josh Norman's signing thoroughly over the past few days, but initially he couldn't help but take it to heart.
"If I can be honest, I took it as disrespect," Breeland, a 2014 fourth-round pick, said on Sirius XM Sunday.
Breeland eventually walked his comments back with the help of hosts Zig Fracassi and Rick Neuheisel, saying that Norman's deal was great for cornerbacks across the NFL and that it was the ultimate "chess move" by the Redskins' front office staff. In all, he sounds as excited as anyone would in his situation.
Of course, how Breeland ends up feeling at the end of the season depends on a few different variables. If Breeland really does feel disrespected and elevates his game -- Breeland started 15 games his rookie season and 13 last year, netting two picks in each season while establishing himself as a budding cover corner -- it ends up benefitting him in the long run. If Norman is really a one-hit wonder, Breeland's feelings would be totally justified.
Either way, it's hard for him to fault Norman for coming to Washington and really if you listen to the rest of the interview Breeland doesn't sound all that broken up about it. Under general manager Scot McCloughan and head coach Jay Gruden, the team hasn't shied away from benching established stars or rewarding talent deep in the depth chart. Breeland can turn disrespect into buyer's remorse in a heartbeat.
