How about a little love for Pep?

[Urrymonster]

If a player is taking up a huge chunk of the team's budget, then there is no room for others on the team. One player does not make a team.

The thing is, we have a full roster. So we haven't actually mortgaged the team via his salary. We also stated we are following the Steelers model, which is few to no high priced vets, hang on to your own important players and groom youngsters from the draft. So please do not tell me we could of signed some quality depth with the cap space generated by not tagging Peppers. Still, if you are going to get upset as fans about it, you simply can't direct it at Peppers, that is just plain illogical.

Let's imagine he was let go, where would the extra money have gone? Your first thought would have been DT, but at that time we had Kemo and Lewis, so we only needed depth behind them. Your second thought would have been to keep Omiyale/Hangartnet etc, but those two left for what they thought were starting gigs, no guarentee either would have stayed. Third thought would have been to DE, as that would suddenly become a huge liability for us. If you can name one free agent DE who was genuine starter quality AND was not ridiculously over paid then please tell me. If we had gone for a free agent to replace Pep, we would have received a much lower quality player for not far off the same salary. Oh and no, we wouldn't of gotten Haynesworth. Face facts, this past free agency was piss poor in terms of talent and only the usual free agents whores mae significant splashes.

If Kemo were not down there would not be much us as fans could complain about. Leonard and Ra'Shon are exactly the type of player we, as fans, were looking for as depth - young, hungy and mis-used. This would have still all been achieved with Peppers on the books. If you can actually tell me who and where we could of spent Peps paychecks I am happy to listen. I just do not see how we could have improved the team by letting him go despite the cap space. It just was not a year for picking up good value players.

Oh and the depth we lost? Where was Bridges before we picked him up, Omiyale too? They were nobodies, exactly like the people we have behind our OL now.

[Fireball77]

I see your point about the way it's worded Dockery.

I don't like him...simple.

What promotes your biological need to drool all over yourself when anything about the Patriots are mentioned? It clearly comes through, even on the computer, and I hate having to constantly wipe that sh1t off of it.

Same thing...different wording.

Whatever

[Wither]

The thing is, we have a full roster. So we haven't actually mortgaged the team via his salary. We also stated we are following the Steelers model, which is few to no high priced vets, hang on to your own important players and groom youngsters from the draft. So please do not tell me we could of signed some quality depth with the cap space generated by not tagging Peppers. Still, if you are going to get upset as fans about it, you simply can't direct it at Peppers, that is just plain illogical.

I don't actually believe we mortgaged the team, I'm just stating why fans should care.

I think they did what they felt was right, and I'm sure they took into consideration the money. So, personally, I have no problem with it.

Was just trying to give some insight on why fans might care.

I see your point about the way it's worded Dockery.

I agree with your post that people shouldn't go into a thread and trash it. It's just disrespectful. I just wanted to point out that the thread was basically asking for it.

[pnthrs]

This whole discussion is so far off track and ridiculous. Does peppers deserve props. Simply NO

This has nothing to do with the contract or the off season or anything other than what this player is bringing to the table as a starter on our team this year. So many people are adding so much unnecessary drama that means SQUAT in the big scheme of things!

Here are the facts: Peppers is not motivated to be an elite DE. He is lazy and has no interest in giving 100%. I dont care if it is the kicker, a star DE, or the water boy, a person like that does not deserve props. This information on peppers is not hear say or assumption. It is facts. Peppers does not have his heart in Carolina or football general. He is 1/3 the player he could be and that is not fair or right.

Players like that dont deserve a roster spot let alone top contracts.

[stankowalski]

This whole discussion is so far off track and ridiculous. Does peppers deserve props. Simply NO

This has nothing to do with the contract or the off season or anything other than what this player is bringing to the table as a starter on our team this year. So many people are adding so much unnecessary drama that means SQUAT in the big scheme of things!

Here are the facts: Peppers is not motivated to be an elite DE. He is lazy and has no interest in giving 100%. I dont care if it is the kicker, a star DE, or the water boy, a person like that does not deserve props. This information on peppers is not hear say or assumption. It is facts. Peppers does not have his heart in Carolina or football general. He is 1/3 the player he could be and that is not fair or right.

Players like that dont deserve a roster spot let alone top contracts.

Those aren't facts...those are opinions. And speaking of opinions, the ones that really do matter are his teammates and the FO. His teammates voted him a captain...would they do that to a player who is lazy? Why would the FO franchise a lazy player?

Some of you guys are just plain retarded.

[unicar15]

peppers isn't a dominant or elite defensive end and doesn't deserve to be paid as much as he is hope that helps

Nobody in the NFL DESERVES as much money as they make except for maybe a select few players...most of them being QBs. Aside from one year Pep has been a great player for us and the only way we could keep him was to give him the money.

[monstercat]

I wonder how many Panther fans think it would have been better to lose Peppers for the year instead of Kemo? Hell, a couple of years ago, some here were saying that Kemo was a waste of roster space, but things suddenly looked a hell of a lot different when he went down. Be careful what you wish for.

[Kevin Greene]

Let's imagine he was let go, where would the extra money have gone? Your first thought would have been DT, but at that time we had Kemo and Lewis, so we only needed depth behind them. Your second thought would have been to keep Omiyale/Hangartnet etc, but those two left for what they thought were starting gigs, no guarentee either would have stayed. Third thought would have been to DE, as that would suddenly become a huge liability for us. If you can name one free agent DE who was genuine starter quality AND was not ridiculously over paid then please tell me. If we had gone for a free agent to replace Pep, we would have received a much lower quality player for not far off the same salary. Oh and no, we wouldn't of gotten Haynesworth. Face facts, this past free agency was piss poor in terms of talent and only the usual free agents whores mae significant splashes.

Obviously we could be a trading partner with any team in the NFL for a proven starter even with a large cap figure if we had Pep's cap space. Free agency is not the only way to acquire talent.

[Urrymonster]

Obviously we could be a trading partner with any team in the NFL for a proven starter even with a large cap figure if we had Pep's cap space. Free agency is not the only way to acquire talent.

Very true. What amunition would we have had? No first round pick, no wealth at any particular position to offer and no disgruntled vet who wants a new team - bar Peppers. Let's be honest, Peppers was the only legit trade bait we had to offer teams. Whilst a second round pick for a trade could net a decent player, it would then leave us picking our first player on the second day of the draft.

I just really do not see how anyone could of played this off-season any different to what our FO have done.

[Fiz]

Nobody in the NFL DESERVES as much money as they make except for maybe a select few players...most of them being QBs.

no, many players deserve the money they get based on the market for their talent.

peppers is hardly a top 10 DE in the league, he doesn't deserve to be the highest paid.

a niggling philosophical point about who deserves what ("except for a few" which is just uselessly vague) doesn't change that fact!

Aside from one year Pep has been a great player for us and the only way we could keep him was to give him the money.

meh in 2003, vanished in the second half of 2006, 2007 was rubbish, 2008 was the most overrated year in the history of professional sport.

[pnthrs]

Those aren't facts...those are opinions. And speaking of opinions, the ones that really do matter are his teammates and the FO. His teammates voted him a captain...would they do that to a player who is lazy? Why would the FO franchise a lazy player?

Some of you guys are just plain retarded.

Dont go jumping to conclusions and throwing out insults when you have ZERO evidence to support your claim.

I personally talk to several of his close friends and JP in person (regularly) and have heard this sentiment out of is mouth. I have seen or heard nothing from him over the last 7 months that indicates he is committed to football or the Panters. I have in fact heard multiple comments to the contrary. I have been in the gym with him while he has simply goofed off rather than work out. I heard him say he isnt worried about his shape. While he is in great shape, he is not motivated to work any harder than the bare minimum. He has voiced that he doesnt even enjoy the NFL at all.

Believe it or not but dont call me a liar unless you know what you are talking about, because I do. This message board is FAR from accurate when it comes to information regarding players. If you want to be a jerk to people who are trying to actually offer some inside insight on a player then fug off or take it with a grain of salt- its classless to call me retarded. It takes a big man to call someone names on the interwebz!

[pnthrs]

I dont come on here often due to the swirling of opinions and smack. This is a great board for that sort of thing as well as a focal point for articles and real information. I dont get involved in hearsay and assumption because I know several players and their families and hear from their mouths what is really going on. I drop by to shed a little light on the few areas I can. As I said before take it or leave it but believe it or not there are people in Charlotte who know player, players friends, players employees, coaches, staff who have ears and if they are not welcome to come here and shed what they know without harassment then so be it. Your loss if that is what you are interested in.

I for one dont care what people think of me or JP - I know where he stands and it isnt in the Panthers benefit to keep him in his frame of mind atm.

[Urrymonster]

Dont go jumping to conclusions and throwing out insults when you have ZERO evidence to support your claim.

I personally talk to several of his close friends and JP in person (regularly) and have heard this sentiment out of is mouth. I have seen or heard nothing from him over the last 7 months that indicates he is committed to football or the Panters. I have in fact heard multiple comments to the contrary. I have been in the gym with him while he has simply goofed off rather than work out. I heard him say he isnt worried about his shape. While he is in great shape, he is not motivated to work any harder than the bare minimum. He has voiced that he doesnt even enjoy the NFL at all.

Believe it or not but dont call me a liar unless you know what you are talking about, because I do. This message board is FAR from accurate when it comes to information regarding players. If you want to be a jerk to people who are trying to actually offer some inside insight on a player then f**k off or take it with a grain of salt- its classless to call me retarded. It takes a big man to call someone names on the interwebz!

I hate to be a prick, but if you are so in there with JP and his buds. Why on Earth are you coming to an internet forum to get the latest Panthers chat?

[Kevin Greene]

Very true. What amunition would we have had? No first round pick, no wealth at any particular position to offer and no disgruntled vet who wants a new team - bar Peppers. Let's be honest, Peppers was the only legit trade bait we had to offer teams. Whilst a second round pick for a trade could net a decent player, it would then leave us picking our first player on the second day of the draft.

I just really do not see how anyone could of played this off-season any different to what our FO have done.

There hands were definately tied and options were few.

I wonder what reaction would be if Richard Seymour was starting for us Sunday after we shipped our 2011 1st round pick to New England.