Julius Peppers going to be a Panther in 2009

by CaroPanthers on Jun 15, 2009 4:19 PM EDT Comment 26 comments

After months of talking about Julius Peppers the speculation has now ended. Panthers starting defensive end has confirmed on Friday that he will be playing for Carolina in the 2009 season. The Carolina star notified teammates via text message that he will be present when the Panthers' start there training camp on August 2nd in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He has not been completely out of football just because he has not been with the team. Earlier in the offseason he reported that he will be working out in Arizona and that is where he has been for months now.

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I don't think a text message is a confirmation

as we reported the text message already. The only real confirmation is going to be when he signs the franchise tender. Then the lavish kissing and making-up will soon follow.

I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com

by Jaxon on Jun 15, 2009 4:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The wording of this fanpost is borderline irresponsible.

If I were in charge, I’d be seriously considering taking it down altogether.

Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.

by MichaelProcton on Jun 15, 2009 4:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Julius texted me and said he was joining the Bobcats.

Maybe he thinks he can get better stats in a triangle defense than a 4-3 defense.

by pancanbra on Jun 15, 2009 9:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I dont take a txt as a guarantee that he will play this year

by Heyward is the next crime dog on Jun 15, 2009 9:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Particularly when the text didn't even go to the guy making the report

Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.

by MichaelProcton on Jun 15, 2009 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I doubt he will sit though. He knows the team isn’t going to try and keep him next year, not after all of this crap. He better be on his top game this year. That is the only way he can “try out” for teams next year.

Member of Canes Country and the Cat Scratch Reader

by Ivan459 on Jun 15, 2009 11:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn't be so sure they're guaranteed to let him go after this year...

But you are right, at this point his best option is to come in and play well, however he can make that happen. If he plays well enough they decide he’s worth keeping again, the nearly $17 mil he’s getting paid this season jumps to an even-more ridiculous $20 mil+!

Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.

by MichaelProcton on Jun 16, 2009 12:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The thing is though if he wants to stay, and it doesn’t look like or sound like he wants to. If it hasn’t been implicitly stated yet from either side, I’m sure it has been inferred .

I don’t think Pep cares about the $$$ more so than the fact he wants to win a Super Bowl with a quality team, and From his actions the past couple of seasons in contract negotiations, it would seem like he doesn’t consider us a “quality team”.

Member of Canes Country and the Cat Scratch Reader

by Ivan459 on Jun 16, 2009 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but his options are limited by the CBA...

If we tag him and agree to pay the required price, he can’t really do much.

Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.

by MichaelProcton on Jun 16, 2009 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I get that. All I’m saying is I doubt the team will tie their hands and feet again like this next season with their $$$ situation. Unless Hurney drinks to much one night and makes that decision again……

Member of Canes Country and the Cat Scratch Reader

by Ivan459 on Jun 16, 2009 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't forget about the new CBA.

That could have a huge impact on salary cap and the ability to keep Pep, even at 20 mil.

Will Parker

by WillParker81 on Jun 16, 2009 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's not true.

If Julius only cared about going to a more quality team then he wouldn’t be requesting a move to the Dallas Cowboys (a team that missed the playoffs last year). I mean, we were the second best team in the NFC in the regular season. If he only wanted to win a Super Bowl, then why would he want to play on a mediocre Cowboy defense?

The reason why he wanted to play in Dallas is that a) they are one of the largest markets in the NFL and b) they play a 3-4 defense which Peppers believes will help him get better stats. These things culminate into MORE MONEY. More sponsorship deals, more publicity, and a fatter contract. It’s not even that he will be more effective in a 3-4 defense, he will just have more sacks is all, and when it boils down to it, that’s what the media focuses on and that’s what draws the big bucks.

And Ivan, if this was truly about winning a Super Bowl, then would it make sense to be sitting out practices with the only team he will have a chance to win one with this year???

by pancanbra on Jun 16, 2009 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You make a good point on that. The way I see it was that the man turned down a contract that would either make him the highest or in the top three in terms of $$$ paid to a DE two years ago. Now what I infer from that is that he doesn’t care about the money as much as going to a team that can win now.

If it were about money now, he would have signed the Franchise tender and called it a day. Now we all know about the 3-4 D he wants to go to, and you make the point that that is the main reason for him wanting to play in dallas. That could be true. But I don’t believe that Pep wants to go to a bigger market. Why would he? For the exposure? The man hides from cameras more than Dick Chaney did as VP. The only argument I could about going to Dallas would be for the 3-4 D, and there were plenty of other teams out there he could have played for.

Personally I think he will try as hard as he can this year to help us win (and try out for other teams of course). Like Jaxon said in an article a while back, I think Pep will be here come Camp, and I am sure he will be ready.

Just don’t count on the man being in a Panther uni next year.

Member of Canes Country and the Cat Scratch Reader

by Ivan459 on Jun 17, 2009 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think its that complicated

I think he was just ready for a change in scenery and move on to something different. The Panthers will pay him as much as anybody else and he is already worshipped in the Carolinas. So once he made that decision of course he wants to go to a winner and a team that plays in his preferred scheme (a 3-4 we guess). But since its not going to work out I’m sure he will say “Oh well, lets play some football”. I bet he says “I’m glad to be back” once he gets in camp.

I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com

by Jaxon on Jun 17, 2009 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with Jaxon...

Peppers is the highest paid defensive player in the league. Almost the highest overall. How can you say that this guy wants more money? A fatter contract? He still has not even met his new DC in Ron Meeks. Not even giving the system a try. He wanted to leave and now that things might turn aroung he does not want to just come back and look like an ass so he is still playing hard to get. With that said look for him to sign his tender soon.

by CaroPanthers on Jun 17, 2009 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He would be among the 5 highest paid DE’s in the league this season, not the highest paid defensive player in the league. Doesn’t that belong to Albert Haynesworth? A fat contract doesn’t necessarily mean alot of money in one year, it means a long term deal with plenty of guaranteed money and even some incentive clauses. The main money I was referring to is the money he would garner from more media attention from playing on a team like the Patriots, Eagles, Giants, Redskins, and definitely Cowboys (some of the supposed teams he was interested in).

I agree with most of you in thinking he’ll just come back during training camp or maybe as late as after the last preseason game and will sign the contract, saying all the right things, and not ruffling any feathers in the locker room. Whether or not he’ll be ready, I’m not so sure. If he comes in for training camp then I have no worries, but if he signs after the last preseason game, just before the season starts, then things may not go so smoothly. But if he underperforms this year, he’s taking a big risk at not so good contract.

But yeah, I think we can all agree he’s gone after this year. Perhaps we could get something for him. Otherwise the only positive aspect is that we will have a ton of money to spend on the FA market.

by pancanbra on Jun 17, 2009 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No.

Peppers’ $16.7 million would be the highest cap hit of any defensive player, and among the most in football. Haynesworth got the highest TOTAL deal, but his average will be $14.3 mil a year…IF he plays it out.

Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.

by MichaelProcton on Jun 17, 2009 9:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who's cap hit is higher than $16.7M

Brady and P Manning would be worth it but who else?

I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com

by Jaxon on Jun 18, 2009 8:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not sure about cap hits...

But the only guys to get paid more period (which includes the total signing bonuses of new deals) last year were JaMarcus Russell, Larry Fitzgerald, Jared Allen, and Ben Roethlisberger.

Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.

by MichaelProcton on Jun 18, 2009 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

As far as I know, Franchise tenders are the average of the top 5 salaries of other players of the same position. So how is he getting paid more than any one else?

by pancanbra on Jun 22, 2009 7:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It is EITHER...

1. the average of the top 5 at his position

2. a 20% increase in last years salary

Which ever one is higher, and option 2 is the higher salary.

Will Parker

by WillParker81 on Jun 22, 2009 8:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow

Didn’t know that. Thanks for letting me know.

by pancanbra on Jun 22, 2009 9:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Last year's CAP HIT...

not salary. Otherwise, it’d be way more reasonable.

Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.

by MichaelProcton on Jun 22, 2009 11:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And it’s not like you can say that we took a huge downgrade in terms of talent at the positions on the staff. All of the replacements have equivalent or superior resumes.

Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.

by MichaelProcton on Jun 23, 2009 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs