Faceoff peppers or gross?

[ANDRE2FL1017]

CHECK IT OUT

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/11366326

[OneBadassCat]

You sign Gross. Heres why

1. Its the first time we've had a good offensive line in years keep it intact.

2. Peppers doesn't want to be here anyway.

[Panther Boyd]

Gross. If a lineman is quiet that means he's doing his job. If a DE is quiet that means he's not.

[DelhommesTheMan]

I say Panthers test both of them...this is how.

You franchise Peppers because you can get the best trade value for him, or he plays for us next year, either way its a win, win for the Panthers. He really has no say in the situation and if he quits on us than he gets less money when he actually becomes free. Let Gross test FA, and just match or exceed whatever deal he recieves, he's going to get a huge deal regardless so lets see what he's worth and give him the money. If we actually end up losing Gross so be it, we reshuffle the line, and have lot's of $$ to get other needs. If Peppers is than traded than we get even more $$, and can fill more needs. Two guys dont make a team, and i'm actually becoming more comfortable losing both of them the more time goes on. This is a pretty good year for FA D-Lineman, and a good draft for O-Line, so we arent in as bad a situation as it may seem. Lets see who really wants to be on the team, let the Panthers play chicken with them..

[KARASMATIC444]

I say Panthers test both of them...this is how.

You franchise Peppers because you can get the best trade value for him, or he plays for us next year, either way its a win, win for the Panthers. He really has no say in the situation and if he quits on us than he gets less money when he actually becomes free. Let Gross test FA, and just match or exceed whatever deal he recieves, he's going to get a huge deal regardless so lets see what he's worth and give him the money. If we actually end up losing Gross so be it, we reshuffle the line, and have lot's of $$ to get other needs. If Peppers is than traded than we get even more $$, and can fill more needs. Two guys dont make a team, and i'm actually becoming more comfortable losing both of them the more time goes on. This is a pretty good year for FA D-Lineman, and a good draft for O-Line, so we arent in as bad a situation as it may seem. Lets see who really wants to be on the team, let the Panthers play chicken with them..

its not as easy to actually fill needs as you might think. letting them both walk to fill needs would be a big mistake. you cant just by talent it doesn't work that way look at the redskins and all the money they were blowing away a few years ago.if you know some one is good and is good in your system then you need to try and keep that player. that being said if that player has no desire to stay then you need to find a way to handle that. the best thing for us is to get gross signed and keep him and find the best possible way to get something from pep. its the same logic that is used by almost everyone on this board and discussed manytimes before, so im sure you understand.

[mantal]

I say Panthers test both of them...this is how.

You franchise Peppers because you can get the best trade value for him, or he plays for us next year, either way its a win, win for the Panthers. He really has no say in the situation and if he quits on us than he gets less money when he actually becomes free. Let Gross test FA, and just match or exceed whatever deal he recieves, he's going to get a huge deal regardless so lets see what he's worth and give him the money. If we actually end up losing Gross so be it, we reshuffle the line, and have lot's of $$ to get other needs. If Peppers is than traded than we get even more $$, and can fill more needs. Two guys dont make a team, and i'm actually becoming more comfortable losing both of them the more time goes on. This is a pretty good year for FA D-Lineman, and a good draft for O-Line, so we arent in as bad a situation as it may seem. Lets see who really wants to be on the team, let the Panthers play chicken with them..

Your heart is in the right place, but there's a critical flaw in your theory. Gross is an unrestricted free agent, as is Peppers. Both can walk away and go anywhere they want for any amount of money and our only recourse is to franchise, but we can only do that with one player. The other can go to another team for a $1 contract and there's not a thing we can do about it if they don't want to negotiate with us anymore. That's why I want Gross signed and soon...

[DelhommesTheMan]

I understand that they are both FA's. I understand that they both can leave, my point is that while we know Peppers doesnt want to be here, Franchise him and go for a trade. We shouldnt have to worry about Gross hitting the market if we have every intention of getting a long term deal done. What the worst that can happen someone offers him a lot of money that we have to match, we have to pay the man a ton regardless and he's going to want to test his worth, hes not going to give a hometown discount if thats what you guys think will happen by him signing early. But atleast he wants to be in Carolina so he should give the Panthers every oppurtunity to match or exceeed any offers he would recieve and he should give us the upper hand in any negotiations if he trully wants to be here.

Peppers should be franchised and dealt with accordingly whether he is forced to play here next year, retires, gets traded, gives up, i dont care he is more valuable than Gross on the open market and we will get something for him, no way you give him away for free.

[Cyberjag]

I agree with Clark Judge completely. Franchise Peppers and work out a deal with Gross. You run the risk of the Skins or someone else overpaying him, but at least you have a chance at keeping him around.

Peppers is gone, and needs to be unhappy somewhere else.

[panthers55]

I agree with Clark Judge completely. Franchise Peppers and work out a deal with Gross. You run the risk of the Skins or someone else overpaying him, but at least you have a chance at keeping him around.

Peppers is gone, and needs to be unhappy somewhere else.

Absolutely. Pay Gross what he wants within reason. In 2 or 3 years it will be reasonable money compared to what players are getting then. After Peppers gets his cash I suspect even the Freeney deal will look cheap.

[SCpanther]

They might as well just pay Gross what he wants and keep that O-line together. On his own Gross isn't worth as much as he'll get but the added value of keeping O-line consistency is worth it.

There would be an unpleasant domino effect if they don't re-sign him, because Wharton would probably move to LT where he's just good, instead of LG where he's Pro Bowl caliber.

[RedMage138]

Make Gross the highest paid tackle in the NFL (he deserves it), franchise and trade Peppers for whatever you can get for him. It really is that simple.

[carpanfan96]

Make Gross the highest paid tackle in the NFL (he deserves it), franchise and trade Peppers for whatever you can get for him. It really is that simple.

He sure does and he's going to get that either here or somewhere else. I'd say probably somewhere around 60 million over 6 years with 32 of it being Guaranteed.

In this situation you have to keep gross.

Reasons being is that Peppers Obviously doesn't want to be here.

We can improve the team with a trio of draft picks and save money for other players at the same time.

Gross wants to be here, He's the cornerstone to our Offensive line that gave up 20 sacks and had our running game clicking on all cylinders.

He's the leader of our group and one of the best LT in the game right now.

You don't break up that continuity on the Oline after the terrific season they had last year.

Our defense wasn't exactly great last season, and losing peppers and gaining 3 or 4 players in his place might improve our defense. We don't have a lot to lose on that side of the ball. 15th in points and 18th in yards on a run first defensive team is pathetic. With him we weren't that great with him, maybe just maybe if we add some young hungry talent to the defense it could very well mean improvement for the unit as a whole.

[cgarsmoker]

I haven't heard much about the "transition tag" lately but if we used it on Gross, it would give us the right to match any FA contract he may get offered.....that keeps the Franchise tag available to use on Peppers.

Aside from any "poison pill" that some other team my throw in - does anyone think the transition tag is a viable option if we come to the FA deadline if we haven't been able to sign Gross?

[carpanfan96]

I haven't heard much about the "transition tag" lately but if we used it on Gross, it would give us the right to match any FA contract he may get offered.....that keeps the Franchise tag available to use on Peppers.

Aside from any "poison pill" that some other team my throw in - does anyone think the transition tag is a viable option if we come to the FA deadline if we haven't been able to sign Gross?

You can only use one tag per season, so if we Transition Tagged Gross we couldn't Franchise Tag peppers. It's either we get a deal done with Gross or we don't.