Mar 23 2009
What Will It Take For Julius Peppers To Find a New Home?
In Charlotte, NC, Julius Peppers still has a firm chokehold on the Panthers. He 
has four teams on his wishlist, and unless there’s a team that is almost as good as the four teams on his list, he will not accept the trade offer.
As it is, Peppers has yet to sign the franchise tender of one year, $16.7 million, which leaves the Panthers with no power to trade him, minimal cap space to sign free agents, and having to release other players to free up cap space.
In it’s third week, the free agency period is still young, and there are still a lot of good free agents out there that have yet to be signed by another team, so the Panthers still have a chance at acquiring some additional talent before the draft, if they can get a trade hammered out between Peppers–to free up a lot of cap space–and a team that he can accept playing for.
There are three problems in this scenario: first, the franchise salary is too high for the two teams that we know Peppers is interested in playing for; the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots, are both very limited in cap space, and the Patriots like to get veterans who buy into the team and do more for less concept.
The next snafu is Peppers has no experience playing in a 3-4 defensive set. At 29 years of age, there’s a risk that a team has to take as to whether he’s able to not only grasp the 3-4 concept, but also perform effectively. Peppers performed ineffectively at times in the 4-3 defense, and teams will take his inconsistent performances with a defensive style he was used to into consideration as well.
The final snag in the trade talks is the Panthers asking price. Two first round picks in trade for Julius Peppers is too expensive. Not to say that Peppers is not worth two first round picks, but there isn’t a team willing to spend that on a risky investment. Adding to the expensive asking price, other teams also know that the Panthers are stuck with someone who has no desire to be in Carolina.
Other teams know that the Panthers are strapped for cap space, and soon enough their asking price for Peppers will drop. Probably not too low, but it won’t be two first round picks.
One final option that is not totally out of the realm of possibility is, might the Panthers consider releasing Peppers altogether, should a trade agreement not be made? I would be nothing short of amazed if a trade isn’t worked out, but it does lead me to wonder if this could be a possibility as well. To keep Peppers on a one-year $16.7 million salary, would leave the Panthers with very little depth at key positions, and some positions with no depth at all.
To date, the only rumor that has been brought to light with a lot of speculation, is that the Patriots would be willing to trade their No. two (34th overall) pick for Julius Peppers, but the Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick have since downplayed and dispelled those rumors.
Something has to be worked out in the next couple of weeks, but any talks are being kept very quiet, or have reached an impasse.
