Carucci finally backtracks on Peppers

[MoLewisrocks]

And Peppers could die the day he signs the tender before they cut him the check and he would get nothing then too. I think the odds of Peppers getting nothing is significantly low. In fact if his end game is more to get out of Carolina, him getting the tender offer rescinded would he ideal for him.

He loses control of money he would get in a scenario where multiple teams are interested in him. Right now he can force the Panthers to take the deal from the team who is going to give him the best contract if he chooses since the Panthers can't trade him without his consent. But with a signed tender if two teams want him and a team like say the Eagles who have well over $20 million under the cap are willing to give up a higher draft pick and are willing to roll the dice on getting Peppers and then working out a deal with Peppers like the Cassel situation and other team is willing to give Haynesworth money but a lower draft pick, Peppers has no way to block a trade to the Eagles. A team like the Eagles might feel they are a Peppers away from a Super Bowl and with plenty of cap room not worried about carrying a $17 million cap hit for one year and even lose Peppers next offseason.

People laughed at me when I said that a team might trade for Cassel without a new deal in place. Cassel's cap hit isn't significantly lower than Peppers (less than $3 million). If the Chiefs are willing to roll the dice on a QB that might be a one year wonder at $14.65 million, why is is it crazy to believe that a team might do the same with a proven pass rusher like Peppers at $16.68 million? It isn't 5 years ago where teams are hurting for cap space and carrying a cap hit like that is all that ridiculous. If Carolina is willing to take a second for him, it wouldn't be all that stupid for a team who is a pass rusher away from being a legitimate Super Bowl contender to rent Peppers for a year if they have the cap room. They can always franchise and trade him away next year. The odds of the situation like this is not the highest, but it is a realistic scenario.

And why people can't see Carolina as one of those teams is what baffles me... They "carried" him last year in the final year of a salary backloaded deal that counted $13M+ against their cap and won their division. If they didn't have him tagged they'd be $23M under right now and one of the several teams who could afford to take Peppers on under a tag...

Much like Asante in 2007 the only leverage Peppers has is to refuse to report once the season starts. I believe it's been a while since a player did that for obvious reasons...of which Peppers has more on the line than any player in NFL history. They don't need him to report to camp let alone any of the other OTA's. They know how he fits in their defense, he's it's centerpiece, and he know hows to play within it.

Carolina has publicly contended from day one that they tagged him not to trade him but to play him. If they could they would extend him as they have been trying to for a couple of seasons. He isn't going anywhere unless he truly forces their hand by holding out into pre season and convincing them he has no intention of reporting for week 1. Because only at that point does trading him have more value than retaining him for the 2009 season.

At any time prior to the draft Peppers could have ramped up his chances of being traded even absent signing his tender by walking into Hurney's office and stomping is feet and making it clear he will NEVER play another snap in Carolina. Abraham did with NY. And he could have settled for the team of his choice for less than open market $$$ to facilitate a trade if it meant that much to him to control his destiny.

That reporter who did the piece on him pre draft had it right where that was concerned. If Peppers truly wants out for altruistic reasons and finances really have little or nothing to do with it, he's going to have to prove it. Otherwise the Panthers will just wait for him to his senses like the essentially good child in a somewhat uncharacteristic pout they seem to believe he is.

 

[Rob0729]

And why people can't see Carolina as one of those teams is what baffles me... They "carried" him last year in the final year of a salary backloaded deal that counted $13M+ against their cap and won their division. If they didn't have him tagged they'd be $23M under right now and one of the several teams who could afford to take Peppers on under a tag...

Much like Asante in 2007 the only leverage Peppers has is to refuse to report once the season starts. I believe it's been a while since a player did that for obvious reasons...of which Peppers has more on the line than any player in NFL history. They don't need him to report to camp let alone any of the other OTA's. They know how he fits in their defense, he's it's centerpiece, and he know hows to play within it.

Carolina has publicly contended from day one that they tagged him not to trade him but to play him. If they could they would extend him as they have been trying to for a couple of seasons. He isn't going anywhere unless he truly forces their hand by holding out into pre season and convincing them he has no intention of reporting for week 1. Because only at that point does trading him have more value than retaining him for the 2009 season.

At any time prior to the draft Peppers could have ramped up his chances of being traded even absent signing his tender by walking into Hurney's office and stomping is feet and making it clear he will NEVER play another snap in Carolina. Abraham did with NY. And he could have settled for the team of his choice for less than open market $$$ to facilitate a trade if it meant that much to him to control his destiny.

That reporter who did the piece on him pre draft had it right where that was concerned. If Peppers truly wants out for altruistic reasons and finances really have little or nothing to do with it, he's going to have to prove it. Otherwise the Panthers will just wait for him to his senses like the essentially good child in a somewhat uncharacteristic pout they seem to believe he is.

I conceed that the Panthers could carry him for the franchise tag. If I think a team would trade for Peppers and potentially let him play under the franchise tag number, of course I acknowledge the Panthers may keep him and let him play under the same cap number. I just think Carolina is looking to move on as much as Peppers no matter what they say publically. No matter how they really feel, they are going to say say publically that they want Peppers to stay.

I don't think the Panthers will just give Peppers away so if no one is willing to make at least a decent offer like a second rounder, I doubt he will be traded. I just think as the season gets closer, there will be someone who will get desperate for a pass rusher and make aplay for Peppers. I could be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time.

 

[slash83]

Not sure how recent this chat was but check it out-


Whats your thoughts on Julius Peppers, will he hold out? I don't see him being traded but if he were traded where do you see him going? What Peppers Agent next move?
Carucci_small
Vic Carucci, Senior Columnist, NFL.com
I'm at a total loss on this one. I wouldn't rule anything, including a trade, out because it does seem clear that that is the only happy resolution from Peppers' perspective. But it's hard to rule it in, given that he won't sign his franchise tender and give the team a chance to work a deal if it would try to go that route, which still isn't a bad option for the Panthers. Holding out seems to make little sense for a guy whose worst-case scenario is being paid nearly $17 million to not go anywhere. As for teams that could trade for him, I'm still not ruling out that he could end up with the Patriots, the team he wants to play for. But the situation remains one of the bigger head-scratchers of the offseason.

NFL Live Chat


this was also in there


Any predictions on where Jason Taylor ends up? When will he decide by?
Carucci_small
Vic Carucci, Senior Columnist, NFL.com
I'll go along with the conventional wisdom that has him ending up with the Patriots. He seems like a pretty good fit as an OLB in their 3-4 scheme and he certainly is intelligent enough to quickly grasp the complexities of the Pats' defense. As for when he will decide, knowing Taylor's aversion to team workouts in the offseason, my guess is that he'll wait as long as possible and probably do something that won't force him to report any sooner than training camp.

 

[Patsman]

That is just a ridiculous amount of money for any one player other than QB in this entire league. Is there one defensive player in this league worth 17mill guaranteed money?

 

[Deus Irae]

That is just a ridiculous amount of money for any one player other than QB in this entire league. Is there one defensive player in this league worth 17mill guaranteed money?

Me. The very moment I sign.

 

[slash83]

Me. The very moment I sign.

Hook me up...

 

[JoeShmoe]

Quite clearly its just brinksmanship between Carolina and Peppers

He wants a decent trade and if CP wont give it to him then he just sits until week 10 and plays some and walks end of the year anyway, or they remove the tag when he would become a FA. That way CP dont pay the cap penalty

I suspect they want a 1st and others are only offering 2nds. And yes we have 3 of them !

Im still not ruling it out

 

[NE39]

Quite clearly its just brinksmanship between Carolina and Peppers

He wants a decent trade and if CP wont give it to him then he just sits until week 10 and plays some and walks end of the year anyway, or they remove the tag when he would become a FA. That way CP dont pay the cap penalty

I suspect they want a 1st and others are only offering 2nds. And yes we have 3 of them !

Im still not ruling it out

The idea of Peppers sitting out until week 10 and giving up $10M seems a fantasy. $10M is a lot of money, and he is not going to walk away from it. I can believe he may sit out into training camp if he really does have a stick up his butt, but the idea he will miss any games is far-fetched. The Panthers know that.