JoeSixPat

Julius Peppers uncertainty leaves Panthers squeezed by cap - NFL - SI.com

The term "killing" comes from the newspaper that shall not be named.... but they basically ran the same AP story seen here.

Interesting how having a high priced tagged player can really hamstring a team in the offseasson, huh?

I'm not saying the Panthers and Patriots situations were the same, but for all those who were so cavalier about tagging Cassel in the first place, and then cavalier - even critical - of Belichick's decision to quickly move to take an offer on the table, they might want to reconsider and at least acknowledge that there was some risk that the Patriots were taking when they tagged Cassel at nearly $15 million.

For all those who downplayed the risk to the Patriots saying that tagging and trading Cassel "isn't rocket science" - they should at least take note that things similar to the Peppers situation can and do happen - and when players are makign $14, $15 and more than $16 million on the cap, that can REALLY hamstring an offseason.

Belichick could have played one team off of another, but he also risked letting the deal on the table fall apart by trying to leverage more from Pioli.

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maverick4

This is the reason Belichick traded Cassel and Vrabel so soon. He needed the money to play in free agency.

bigdgp

While the situations are similar in some regards I think you're overlooking a very key point. Matt Cassel had MUCH more incentive to sign the Franchise Tender than Julius Peppers did. What is hamstringing Carolina so much is that Peppers hasn't signed the deal limiting their ability to move forward on the situation. I'm sure that there is some rationale for Peppers not signing the offer that we're not privvy to but that is key factor for the situation being what it is.

ctpatsfan77

There are three reasons why a player might not want to sign the franchise tag:

(1) Signing the tag removes the option of "hostile" offer sheets—but that only matters if a team is willing to pony up two firsts.
(2) A player cannot be traded if he doesn't sign the tag, and if he waits until after July 15, he has to be given the franchise salary.
(3) Once the player signs the tender, he's under contract and must participate in all mandatory OTAs.

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"Momentum was quickly snatched away by New England, who once again proved that any Patriot, at any moment, can make a play." —Inside the NFL, Packers v. Patriots

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amazinPats

Excellent point! Looking back, it seems BB got a great return for Matt Casell by trading him for a high second rounder. These franchise amounts are no joke, especially if you want to have some activity in free agency. Great post!

JoeSixPat

As they say on the Big Show - you're making my point.

No one knew what Cassel was going to do.

There's threads and threads of people righteously posing that "there's no way Cassel's gonna run down to Foxboro to sign the franchise tender" who obviously were:

1.) Wrong and
2.) Didn't understand the implications for the Patriots if Casell DIDN'T sign the tender

The truth was that there were implications both if he did and didn't sign the tender, and there's no end of nuances or variables that, indeed could have left the Patriots offseason moves signficantly curtailed had things not worked out the way they did.

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klinefan

I think you're exactly right. I thought BB was lucky to get what he did for Cassel. He was playing a very high stakes game...promise 14M to someone you don't want to pay 14M for in the hopes that you can trade him. Cassel had nothing to lose. 14M guaranteed?

I've never understood the "they won't trade peppers for more than 2 #1s arguement" made by Carolina fans. There are two components to value...what you pay and what you get. The cost for Peppers is so high in terms of salary and bonus, why would anyone want to pay draft picks too?

I wonder if NC would franchise Peppers if they had to do it over again knowing how hard it would be to dump him. Peppers holds all the cards. He'll play for 15M for one year and then either play for 18M next year or get a new deal with new signing bonus. Hard to see how Carolina is getting out of Peppers by paying him that much money. Is he that dominant?

MassPats38

Also add in, unlike the rare case of the Cassel deal in which the GM and player have history and leave the matter of long-term contract to good faith and execute a trade for the franchise value, the fact that a tender deal is not signed is an obstacle, but so is a signed player's willingness to agree to contract term with a new team as a prerequisite to typical trades, that can easily kill any trade possibilities and leave the Pats holding the bag.

Players with a big chunk of change in hand are not willing to take unfavorable long-term deals or simply deals not meeting expectations that may be inflated by the franchise tag. It is pure speculation that he would sign with the team offering the Pats better compensation, but unlike the special circumstances in KC, no team simply assumes a one-year, high priced deal in exchange for multiple draft picks. Barring that possibility, the Pats do not control Cassel's future and he has the ability to undo any trade he doesn't like.

JoeSixPat

I actually think Cassel was in a no lose situation. He'd probably sign a long term deal at $25 mlillion guaranteed but can also sit back and earn $30 million guaranteed over the next 2 years by having a decent season as a tagged player.... or get even more by agreeing to a long term deal next season.

If course he's taking some risk of injury or not playing well but he's probably got a pretty good insurance policy. That's the main reason I felt he WOULD sign the tender, but again, I had no idea that would happen for sure any more than any of the posters here who staked their football knowledge reputation on the fact that there was NO CHANCE of Cassel signing the tender.

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RxJock1120

I think the reason is that, he and his agent are allowed to talk to other teams if does not sign the tender. Which on the contrary is exactly why Carolina cant discuss the trade with any other teams. Julius wants to work out his own terms with potential teams, before he gives Panthers the right to trade him anywhere.