CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman doesn't miss former teammate Captain Munnerlyn.

Not one bit.

Norman claims Munnerlyn, who will be on the opposite sideline for Sunday's game at Minnesota, never did anything to help him the past two seasons and tried to find ways to get inside his head. He said Munnerlyn, at 5-foot-9 the shortest member of the Panthers last season, had "little man syndrome."

"That's just my personal opinion about him," Norman said on Monday. "Don't get me wrong. I respect him as a player. He was a good little nickel for us.

"He came to work every day. He was always bubbly. We just didn't mix like that."

Norman's personal feelings aside -- which aren't shared by other Carolina players interviewed -- the Panthers miss Munnerlyn.

The former University of South Carolina standout was solid as a starting corner and nickel corner last season. He had three sacks and two interceptions, both returned for touchdowns.

Coach Ron Rivera said he wanted to re-sign Munnerlyn when he became a free agent during the offseason. But when the Minnesota Vikings offered a three-year deal worth $11.25 million with $4.45 million guaranteed the salary-cap strapped Panthers weren't willing to match it.

Replacing Munnerlyn has proven more difficult than anticipated, though.

The Panthers have used two different starters at right corner, with Norman finally taking over the position from Melvin White three weeks ago. They have used four different players at nickel corner between Charles Godfrey, rookie Bene' Benwikere, James Dockery and Colin Jones.

Godfrey, making the transition from safety to corner, was released last month. Benwikere, set to return this week, has missed six straight games with an ankle sprain.

The inconsistency, particularly at nickel, is one reason the defense has given up 36 pass plays of 20 or more yards.

Yet Norman (6-0, 195) doesn't miss the player that shared a locker next to his the past two seasons.

"I'm bigger than him," Norman told the Charlotte Observer last week. "I think I'm better than him. He knew it. The craziest part about it was he'd try to find little things to get in my head. It was like, 'Man, we're on the same team. You should want to help us out.'

"Once I got stuff wrong from asking him. I was like, 'I'll find my own way around.'"

He didn't back down from those comments on Monday.

"How I felt about it is how I felt about it," said Norman, who actually got the starting corner job ahead of Munnerlyn in 2012.

Munnerlyn told ESPN.com's Ben Goessling on Monday that Norman's comments were like a "slap in the face."

"If you know me, if you go in the organization and you ask the other cornerbacks or anybody in the organization, they'll tell you I'm a guy who's willing to help and lay it on the line each and every day," Munnerlyn said.

White said Munnerlyn was one of two players that taught him the ropes as a rookie last season. He said Munnerlyn and he are close and continue to keep in touch.

"Of course you miss a guy like Captain," White said. "Captain was a legit player."

White, who had the other locker beside Munnerlyn's last season, said he wasn't aware Norman and Munnerlyn didn't get along. Neither did fullback Mike Tolbert, who used to tease Munnerlyn about being shorter than him although both are listed at 5-9.

"That's the beauty of our team," Tolbert said. "You can never tell who doesn't like who. Certain personalities click. Others don't. Me personally, I loved Captain. [Norman] don't like him, that's on him.

"He's still shorter than I am."

Tolbert did agree with Norman that Munnerlyn has "little man syndrome."

"You tell me what little guy doesn't," he said. "Captain is built in the mold of Steve Smith, who is a helluva football player but very fiery and takes pride in what he does."

Rivera called Munnerlyn a "workhorse."

"He was a very stout, physical football player," he said. "He was a tough guy. There was a certain mentality, toughness playing the nickel position."

Whatever issues Norman and Munnerlyn had, Rivera didn't see it.

"I just know this much," he said. "When they were on the field they played well enough for us."

The Panthers miss that this season, even though Norman doesn't miss Munnerlyn.