Pats on Peppers's short list for trade

Am I the only guy who thinks he's worth LESS than that second rounder? He has been slipping in his game tremendously lately. I think he wants out of the 4-3 because he thinks he isn't good enough to dominate there anymore and wants to line up wider. I also like Seymour and Wilfork a lot better and would rather see the money used to resign them.

Let's get Jason Taylor on a short, inexpensive deal, and let someone else overpay for Peppers.

According to a report early on before Peppers was tagged it was reported he had four teams on his list of who he would be willing to be traded. One was the Cowboys, two were NFC South teams and one was an unnamed AFC team. Now there is no way the Panthers will trade him in the division and the Cowboys need to focus on their own free agents like DeMarcus Ware. So, if that one AFC team is the Patriots the Panthers have little to no bargaining power in a trade if Peppers resolve remains strong as to where he will agree to be traded. I'm a Pats fan living in Charlotte and I see good and bad things to this potential trade opportunity. Peppers in an incredible athlete, but he hasn't always been the most motivated player on the Panthers roster. That may be attributable to coaching, but I would hope individual drive means something. While I'd prefer Wilfork to be resigned first, if Peppers was willing to take a reasonable contract it may make sense. And most need to keep in mind his franchise tender is not necessarily the cap figure the Pats would need to account for in a trade since any long term deal would have a large amount of upfront money spread out over the life of the contract. How the CBA expiration affects that I don't know. But, as we are wont to say, in Bill we trust.

I can't believe the Pats will actually do this deal. Put in your Three Games to Glory DVD for the Pats-Panthers Superbowl -- Peppers was consistently blocked by Daniel Graham. There is no way BB will pay $14 million a year, $30+ million guaranteed, plus whatever compensation Carolina will demand, for a DE who got consistently blocked by a tight end.

I heard on WEEI this morning that there was a "99.9%" chance that Peppers WILL NOT go to the Pats.

Is there any new word about this rumor? Or is it just that - a rumor?

THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN FINALIZED 20 MINUTES AGO!!!!

Assuming there is interest, seems the bigger impediment would be the contract he gets.

Are the Patriots willing to pay him like Dwight Freeney and Albert Haynesworth who are getting ($12M/yr)? Right now, the highest paid players are Brady ($10M/yr) and Seymour ($9M/yr).

Seems like a lot of money to someone who is 29 years old and hasn't played in a 4-3. What are they going by? Adailus Thomas has a lot of physical characteristics and played in a 3-4 and he hasn't exactly been the game changer/force he was expected to be given hos contract ($7M/yr).

So long Pepper's, way to leave your team behind for a chance to become a mediocre line backer!! We won't be missing you in Carolina, so you better bring us some good from the Pat's like Randy Moss. P.S. Pepper's going to New England is like Johnny Damon going to NY, except Damon continues to be good.

I would not get too excited. It does not sound as if the Patriots can really afford to sign Peppers and take care of other necessary signings - i.e. Wolfork and Seymour.

Julius peppers sucks

it's all good as long as we take care of Wilfork, Mankins and any other key component coming up. otherwise, we're just sweeping the dirt under the rug for now.

Shefter was on D&C this morning and he said that there is an 99.9% chance that this ain't happening. I'm crying now. Way to ruin our day Adam. he said financially it just doesn't work and were only 7 million under the cap I believe.

I have my doubts about this one He is to expensive . I think the Panthers should trade him for anything just to free up cap space. They are screwed . Luckily BB moved Cassel fast so this did not happen to us durrng this crucial team building time. I also Have my doubts about Carucci saying the Pats would draft Rey M at #23. The guy will go in the top ten and the only way he would fall that far is if he did something stupid between now and the draft.

we dont need him... bringing him along will drastically decrease our chances at wilfork/seymour resigns and plus our picks. we can do better with the picks and resigning wilfork+seymour

Who cares...the economy is tanking and all we can talk about is which millionaire jock is going where?

Glenn - Funny, I actually put on the Pats DVD from the second SuperBowl last night which has the fully game on it and I felt like he was contained as well. However, he wasn't getting to the QB but there is no question he was getting deep penetration from either side and that was only his second season in the league. He is a serious weapon.

I'll also admit, I have no idea why or how they could have reported this story. The Patriots simply do not have the cap space to make this happen and still sign draft picks. You can pretty much forget them resigning Wilfork or Seymour prior to the season - I believe 2010 will be uncapped and they will operate with that in mind.

Ok, here's the plan.....and hear me out, because I'm not gonna lie...it's gonna get weird.

First, they trade for Peppers. They ship the Panthers the 34th, a sixth rounder this year, and a conditional 6th (that could improve to a third) in 2010. Why give up more than than the Panthers may be willing to accept? Well, for one, if someone comes up and offers the Panthers a platoon of picks, even if Peppers doesn't want to go there, the Panthers might hold off on making any deal up until it's too late. Got to strike while the iron is hot, and the more they think about it, and catch flak from their fans, the less likely they may be willing to make this deal at all. With me so far?

Next, how do you fit Peppers under the cap? You give him a big roster bonus due next season (uncapped). I don't claim to be intimate with the CBA, but unless there are restrictions on how things can be paid in an uncapped year (like the "unlikely to earn" bonuses becoming "likely to earn" bonuses, and thus counting against this year's cap), it should work. Also, with an uncapped year coming up, you can sign Wilfork and Mankins for whatever the hell you want to. Make it front heavy for 2010 if you want. Point being, you have flexibility and you should be able to keep fewer guys from leaving next year than you can this year.

So far so good?

Now, to get Rey....here's what you do. You call him up and say "Hey buddy, how would you like to have a ring in your rookie season? We'll pay you good money, too, but we need you there at 23. Great way to get going early on your HOF credentials." Really butter him up. Then, you simply SUGGEST that MAYBE he put on a wedding dress, and go do an interview where he smears lipstick all over his face. You just throw it out there, take it for what it's worth. Teams see this and shy away from him, and VOILA, he's there at 23 (hell, you might be able to pick him up with the compensatory 100th).

Simple enough, right?

"Posted by Joe Gabrielli March 17, 09 12:16 PM"

You sound like you've eaten too many sour grapes on this one. Had you left out the outright lie about Damon at the end, it wouldn't have looked so bad.

Rob in Central MA, that is an excellent idea to get Rey...shades of Ricky Williams post draft...too funny!

I don't understand people out there saying that peppers would not be a great addition to the Pats. The guy is a beast, and if Bill thinks he is worth looking into, then there has to be something there. I still remember everyone talking bad about the moss deal. Bill makes very few bad decisions, if any! I'd rather have Peppers than a older Seymour who has been hurt the past couple of years. I bet they sign peppers and trade seymour or keep him for at least one more season.

I don't see it happening. With 4 picks in the 1st 2 rounds, the Pats will be managing salary cap. They also have to re-sign players in '10. Peppers would throw the team's economics out of whack...and who says that Carolina would settle for only 1 draft pick?

It's not just about paying Peppers, it's giving up draft picks to Carolina. They need to get younger and they have the draft picks to do it. Stay the course!

Seymour will not get resigned. Wilfork, yes. Seymour, no. And I do think that with BB coaching, Peppers could be THE dominant o/s linebacker in a 3/4 defense in the NFL today. Let's go get him!

WELL IT WIIL HELP THE D-LINE SINCE THERES MANY VETERANS ON THE PATS SO WE WILL JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE

Julious' less than steller number the last few years (which even lessened are still greater than most his age group, not to mention his younger peers) speaks not of his (still tremendous) value, but of the Panthers' lack of a consistantly coheasive team effort. He has, these last few seasons, been hamstrung by a coaching staff that seem pathologically unable to recognize that individual talents are only as good as the sum total of its members. No man is an island. If the team is not unified in its mission, if the less steller players are not given their still contributory value,then all will ultimately fall short. The Panthers blew it. Julious will be a great loss.

I'd make a decent offer and see what happens. Sure, it would be nice to have him, but no biggie if you can't get him without having to mortgage the future. He's not "all that" anymore. At least the effort was made to get him.

I say throw in Maroney with the 34th pick....or maybe ben -jarvis green or we still have whats his name the #3QB.to send.I mean isnt Carolina seeking a decent QB?? maroney/the 34th and mattG the QB 3rd stringer

Peppers has not been the same since he's been off roids.

how is it that everyone thinks peppers is or can be a good outside linebacker when he has never even played that position? makes no sense at all

Roger, it's called "projection". You look at the skills of a particular player, you look at the skills needed to be successful at a given position, and you decide whether or not you think that player can do it. It appears that Peppers would project pretty well. He's fast (straight line), he's big, he's got pass rushing moves galore...the guy also has 4 INTs and 36 passes defended. Even if maybe he can't run with a TE or take a shake-n-bake from a RB in open space...he's still a big tall guy who has the awareness to throw a hand or two up there and either knock the ball down or intercept it. Also, with the right blitz scheme (a zone blitz where the pressure comes from the other side or right up the middle, and Peppers drops into coverage unexpectedly), you could see his interceptions increase, as teams design some plays to throw right around him (expecting him to blitz), but then he doesn't, and instead just stands there and has the ball thrown right at him. I'm not saying 10 INTs for the season or anything...but 3? 4? Very possible.

I think Peppers projects as an excellent OLB, and although there are plenty of experts who disagree (at least somewhat), and those people undoubtedly know more about it than I do....apparently Belichick thinks he might be able to, and he knows more than myself and all the experts combined. I'll trust Bill on this one.