3-Wide: Is Dez Bryant vs. Josh Norman the NFL's best rivalry?
3-Wide is a weekly feature in which theScore's NFL editors debate the hot topics around the league. Grab a cold towel and brace for hot takes.
What's the most annoying offseason trope?
Arun Srinivasan: The NFL operates in a 24/7 news cycle and during the offseason, many players and reporters alike are guilty of generating tired tropes and cliches to fill the void. To this end, there's no trope worse than "Player X is in the best shape of their life." There's no way to verify any of this information, and it's a relative comparison to begin with. It'll be easy to verify whether a player is in top shape once the season begins, and these workout quotes do nothing but amplify a player's - and their trainer's - agenda.
Dan Wilkins: We could really do without the whole "Player 'X' looks incredible at OTAs" charade. In what world does a running back or receiver making plays in shorts while there is no tackling allowed mean anything? There's a reason why so many spring superstars completely disappear when training camp and preseason action rolls around. It's a whole different ball game when the pads get strapped on.
Mitch Sanderson: Bad teams should just admit when they're bad. Teams like the Jets touting the idea that their goal is "to win regardless of whether we have younger guys or older guys" is dumb. Pushing the idea that you actually think you're going to be good when you aren't does two things: 1) Sets up disappointment and backlash from the portion of fans who actually believe coaches and GMs. 2) Makes you sound like you haven't looked at your own roster.
Will the Seahawks survive their newest locker-room conflict?
Wilkins: A fantastic piece from ESPN's Seth Wickersham recently shed some light on the turmoil the Seahawks have dealt with in recent seasons. As evidenced by the club remaining a contender over the past several seasons despite some issues that could tear apart other teams, it's safe to assume that the locker room is more than capable of continuing to withstand a little inner turmoil. But the Seahawks' championship window may well be closing for other reasons. Most notably, the money invested in Russell Wilson and an aging Legion of Boom makes it more difficult to stockpile talent elsewhere on the roster.
Sanderson: Probably, yes. The idea of being upset over a loss, no matter how large, for over two years is ridiculous, but now that everything is more or less out in the open, the team will basically be forced to push through it. The Seahawks are one of the more resilient teams in the league, regularly dealing with emotional blowups from their star players while still making the playoffs year in and year out. With this tension expected to either ruin the team or push it to thrive, odds are on the latter and possibly another Super Bowl appearance for Seattle.
Srinivasan: The Seahawks are the NFL's most outspoken, progressive team. Open conflict within the locker room is a byproduct of extreme candor from many of the team's players. During Pete Carroll's tenure, the Seahawks have weathered plenty of internal storms, whether it's Michael Bennett demanding a new contract, Richard Sherman singling out anyone who dares to contest him, or Marshawn Lynch's aversion to the media. Ultimately, the Seahawks are too talented to get derailed by a single well-reported story.
Is Dez Bryant-Josh Norman the NFL's best player rivalry now?
Sanderson: If Josh Norman would just pick one enemy, then this would be an easy call. However, after much thought, I would still consider Norman-Bryant the league's best individual rivalry. The Steelers probably still hate Vontaze Burfict, but he hasn't done anything to fuel the fight in over a year. Norman and Odell Beckham Jr. had a fun thing going, but their hatred simmered after the league issuing warnings. It's clear that Norman and Bryant legitimately hate each other and are both accomplished trash-talkers. Not a whole lot of that going around anymore.
Srinivasan: The Bryant-Norman feud will be leading the headlines this week, but it's still not the best individual rivalry in the NFL. Burfict is still public enemy No. 1 in Pittsburgh after delivering an illegal hit on Antonio Brown during the 2015 playoffs, rendering the superstar concussed. Although Brown has appeared to move on, the rest of the Steelers hold plenty of animus toward Burfict, with David DeCastro stomping on him during a 2016 contest. Until proven otherwise, Burfict vs. the Steelers remains atop the list.
Wilkins: The Bryant-Norman rivalry, if we can even call it that, pales in comparison to the latter's spat with Beckham. The two stars stayed composed during their meetings in 2016, but it's probably safe to assume the good behavior was more about Norman settling into a new home and the amount of attention the feud was getting from the league office heading in. Now a full year removed from their 2015 slugfest, it wouldn't be much of a surprise to see Beckham and Norman really get after it again during their pair of matchups this season.