Internal struggles regarding Peppers?

[Snake]

I have said all along that Keeping peppers is a possibility. IMO its a better one if we cant get great compensation. IMO without Peppers we will be left this year with a glaring hole on our line. Brayton and Johnson do not scary anyone.

[stewkilla]

How many times do I have to say it?

We hold the leverage, and if we don't get an offer we like, Pep will remain a Panther... If he chooses to sit on his ass rather than play, then so be it.. I'm sure an arbitrator would find that he wasn't holding up to his end of the Franchise tag he signed...

Part of Pep wants to be here anyways, regardless of what Carl Carey would have you believe... If nobody comes calling with a satisfactory offer, Pep could be in a lot worse situation than he is now, and both he and his agent realize this...

Actually if ou do the research Peppers hasn't even signed the franchise paperwork yet, so unfortunatley he has the leverage and is in complete control.

[panthers55]

The thing is that I don't know if there is anyone the team really wants in FA, other than a couple of depth players. And they can get the money for them, as well as for signing the rookies, by restructuring Smith and extending Jake. So I don't know that the team feels they need to get cap space right now. I'm sure they would love to get more since it would allow them extend some other key players that will soon be coming up for FA themselves, but as for this year, I don't know that there is much urgency. So I don't see why we would give Peppers the ability to leave next year without compensation when we really don't have to.

I have been saying all along I think Hurney should hold the line. I simply was responding to the point that if we can't find anyone who would trade with us and we kept him we could try and work something out. Honestly I think we will be able to find someone who will give us at least a first rounder maybe more. But it may not be until Peppers and Carey can't work something out with whoever Peppers wants to go to, that they will consider other offers who may be willing to give us more in trade.

[Mr. Scot]

I have been saying all along I think Hurney should hold the line. I simply was responding to the point that if we can't find anyone who would trade with us and we kept him we could try and work something out. Honestly I think we will be able to find someone who will give us at least a first rounder maybe more. But it may not be until Peppers and Carey can't work something out with whoever Peppers wants to go to, that they will consider other offers who may be willing to give us more in trade.

But is it Hurney "holding the line" or is it Fox?

That's what I wonder about right now.

[panthers55]

Actually if ou do the research Peppers hasn't even signed the franchise paperwork yet, so unfortunatley he has the leverage and is in complete control.

He controls who they talk to but unless we agree it ain't happening. Right now it is 2 first rounders. If anyone pays that Hurney jumps on it. For anything less we have to agree to it so in the end we hold the cards.

He can refuse to play for anyone but that hurts him more than us in the long run. Besides he said he wasn't going to do that.

[panthers55]

But is it Hurney "holding the line" or is it Fox?

That's what I wonder about right now.

I suspect that Fox wants him back and Hurney wants what is best for the team. That might be keeing him or might be trading him away if we can get the right price. In the end I bet it is Hurney's decision.

[carpanfan96]

We really can't afford to hold on to him for the season, we have no depth on the oline, we need at least one corner (pickup in draft) and we need some serious help and depth on our dline. We need the money more then we need peppers. I think the Dline would be good enough and we would be successful with a dline of Brayton, Kemo, Robertson, Lewsi, Johnson, Taylor and some rookies filling in the rotation.

I do think we need to get more then 1 second round pick, but 2 seconds and a 3rd or 4th offer comes on the table hurney should jump on it.

[carpanfan96]

But is it Hurney "holding the line" or is it Fox?

That's what I wonder about right now.

My thoughts on that, if our HC and GM can't see that the team needs the money for some serious depth issues on our lines, then they are both blind.

[Skew]

Considering what Dallas gave up for Roy Williams, Hurney should get 2 first at a min. for Pep.

[Matt Foley]

When you think about it, Pep is not someone you can put any assumptions on. A lot of people on here assume he will come back here and play great for one year because he has to. I just don't see it. I mean, who asks to leave a team that has just finished 12-4? Especially after the two disappointing campaigns preceding it? If there was any part of Pep's heart in Carolina, wouldn't the chance at going to a Super Bowl win over the rest of it?

He marches to his own drumbeat. Always has, too.

[frash.exe]

Peppers' posturing is all bullsh1t.

If you keep him on the team and actually put him to the test he will likely end up playing.

We heard all the crap with Lance Briggs a few years back, it was actually worse than our situation. Lance went as far as to say "Rescind the tag or trade me", that he was "done with the Chicago organization" and so forth. Jerry Angelo was calm but firm, and fast forward 2 years later, Briggs is in the midst of a lucrative extension, .....in Chicago.

The tag has been put on Peppers. It's an expensive tag, but a tag nonetheless. If he actually is considering sitting out for the year, which I dare him to do, because nobody has done that for years, it will seriously de-value him in the eyes of pro scouts and team GMs/Coaches/Owners everywhere. Nobody is going to tie in a great deal of money and a multi-million dollar deal in a player who would essentially be considered a snake in the grass, who will turn on your organization and try to hurt the team in a moment's notice. For a player that has been humble and aloof most of his entire football career, he will quickly destroy a reputation for that.

[Woodie]

I have been saying all along I think Hurney should hold the line. I simply was responding to the point that if we can't find anyone who would trade with us and we kept him we could try and work something out. Honestly I think we will be able to find someone who will give us at least a first rounder maybe more. But it may not be until Peppers and Carey can't work something out with whoever Peppers wants to go to, that they will consider other offers who may be willing to give us more in trade.

Yeah, I really think when all is said and done, someone will eventually pony up an acceptable package that the Panthers will bite on, but it will probably be much closer to the draft when it happens. If NE is only offering the #34 pick as the rumor says, I think the Panthers will hold out for more.

Right now, nobody feels they have to compromise and accept less than they want. But the closer we get to the draft, the Panthers will realize that whatever offers are on the table are probably the best they'll get. And Peppers will realize that he may need to widen his list of acceptable teams if he really doesn't want to be here this year...and I don't think he wants anything to do with the attention he'll get from both the media and fans by playing under the tag with the Panthers. So something will give...or both get what they want and the Patriots will ante up a more palpable package.

[monstercat]

The part about Peppers being willing to widen the list of teams he would play for, is what worries me though. It's pretty clear that he cares more about where he goes than how much his contract is worth.

[Woodie]

The part about Peppers being willing to widen the list of teams he would play for, is what worries me though. It's pretty clear that he cares more about where he goes than how much his contract is worth.

But the problem he has is that if none of the teams he wants to play for are willing to offer the Panthers an acceptable package, he may have to choose between playing here under the tag (with no guarantee that the same thing won't happen again next year) or accepting a trade to a team not on his wish list. And since the Panthers have done a good job of playing it as if they are willing and able to absorb the cap hit, Peppers' back may be up against a wall...basically, which of the lesser of two evils does he prefer.

And as I have previously said, I do not think he wants anything to do with the scrutiny he will face from both the media and fans (not to mention some teammates that will be watching to make sure he isn't slacking off in a pout), if he comes back and plays here. If he thinks all eyes have been on him during his tenure here, it's nothing compared to what he will face coming back to a team in which many fans feel betrayed. He will be under the white hot glare of attention all season, and every mistake, bad play, or bad game will be magnified. While some will forgive once he makes his first sack, many won't. And many of the ones that do will turn on him the first time he gets stonewalled by one blocker or has a game in which he was not much of a factor.