No long-term deal likely for Peppers

[carolinarolls]

I find it hard to believe that the FO's decision to go in a new direction on defense, coming off a 12-4 season, returning almost all starters, stems solely from the JP fiasco. It may have helped him stay, but I really can't believe a whole organization could be that stupid, especially not one I consider myself a fan(atic) of. I personally think that the media and internet message boards made things out to be worse than they were, along with some badly timed comments on Pep's part. I think it will go like Gross' contract did, and will get worked out for the long haul after a terrific, championship campaign this year.

In a perfect world..

I firmly believe that Pep's comments influenced both the decision to go after Meeks and the decision to make a big move to get Brown.

[Fireball77]

I find it hard to believe that the FO's decision to go in a new direction on defense, coming off a 12-4 season, returning almost all starters, stems solely from the JP fiasco. It may have helped him stay, but I really can't believe a whole organization could be that stupid, especially not one I consider myself a fan(atic) of.

I agree, if they would go through all that to placate one guy they need to have their heads examined.

[HubKat]

4 mins......and just because we haven't heard anything yet - it could be a bit, paperwork has to be submitted and to the league first. Could be an hour or so before we know anything official.

[HubKat]

Is it just me...or is the time off on the site? Look at my post time - I have 4pm on my pc and watch.

[MadHatter]

If he gets hurt it does not matter. The JPEP retirement plan is sufficiently funded.

If he has 25 sacks he will make 20 million next year somewhere.

Locking him up does not guarantee us a great chance at a great D-line. The only thing it guarantees is that we will pay him 16 million dollars.

You are HOPING that he will be motivated and play great. It makes sense that he would but there is no guarantee that his heart is any more in it nor is it clear what his actual motivation is.

In terms of how things sit right now he and his agent made the best out of a very bad situation in which they were put in a very tough spot. They came away with all the options and all the guarantees. Their actions forced change on the defense. Not the other way around.

You all can continue to lie to this board and even yourselves all you want. I don't care but facts are facts and to paint Marty as anything more than careless and stubborn is pure homerism.

This is where I disagree with your presumption that Pep wins in this situation.

We ensured that we had a Top DE on this year's defense. That was critical as we still have all of the pieces to make a SB run. Without Pep, our DL is pedestrian at best.

We drafted Brown as a future replacement to Pep. However, very few rookies make huge impacts.

If Brown pans out...and I believe he will....then Pep is gone next year.

If we had let Pep walk, we would be taking a big step backwards on defense at a time when we are a playoff and SB contending team.

The Panthers and Hurney won in this chess game.....we got what we wanted, and Pep did not.

[WildBill559]

Is it just me...or is the time off on the site? Look at my post time - I have 4pm on my pc and watch.

Go to User CP and Edit Options.

[carolinarolls]

This is where I disagree with your presumption that Pep wins in this situation.

We ensured that we had a Top DE on this year's defense. That was critical as we still have all of the pieces to make a SB run. Without Pep, our DL is pedestrian at best.

We drafted Brown as a future replacement to Pep. However, very few rookies make huge impacts.

If Brown pans out...and I believe he will....then Pep is gone next year.

If we had let Pep walk, we would be taking a big step backwards on defense at a time when we are a playoff and SB contending team.

The Panthers and Hurney won in this chess game.....we got what we wanted, and Pep did not.

we did not ensure that we will have a top DE. We insured ourselves to pay for a once top DE who expressed that he no longer wants to play for our team.

We did not get what we wanted. Twice now we have "worked hard" at getting a long term deal done (which is what we want). All we got was a chance to show that we are willing to adapt to his demands and pay him handsomely in the meantime as long as he doesn't go anywhere.

[caddieman]

This is where I disagree with your presumption that Pep wins in this situation.

We ensured that we had a Top DE on this year's defense. That was critical as we still have all of the pieces to make a SB run. Without Pep, our DL is pedestrian at best.

We drafted Brown as a future replacement to Pep. However, very few rookies make huge impacts.

If Brown pans out...and I believe he will....then Pep is gone next year.

If we had let Pep walk, we would be taking a big step backwards on defense at a time when we are a playoff and SB contending team.

The Panthers and Hurney won in this chess game.....we got what we wanted, and Pep did not.

You ever stop to think why Pep took so long to sign his franchise tag? He does not want a long term deal. He wants out. And he has made that point. Why would he say he wanted out and then turn around and sign long term. Why would he stay out of OTAs if he wanted to stay long term? Why would a team give up a #1 draft pick next year to move up to the 1st round this year to get the best DE they could if they were going to sign one of the best DEs long term 2 months later? Pep gets a million a game and is almost assured to move on next year. I call that a BIG win!

[Montsta]

In a perfect world..

I firmly believe that Pep's comments influenced both the decision to go after Meeks and the decision to make a big move to get Brown.

Brown for sure. They were maybe going to lose their franchise pass-rusher and wanted to get a replacement. Anyone with even the most minimal NFL knowledge should agree with you on that. But I don't think the whole Meeks thing is because of Peppers. In fact, wasn't it Trgovac that left the team on his own terms? If he wouldn't have left when he wanted to, he'd still be our DC, which then could have started a Pep TC (or perhaps whole season) holdout, if Meeks has the influence on Pep some think he has.

However things may have happened behind the scenes, it all worked out beautifully in my eyes.

-We got a new DC, who happens to be great at making something happen with undersized guys.

-We got a possible future franchise DE, who if nothing else is a Carolina native and actually seems to love learning and just playing the game.

-We got our current franchise DE back for at least this season, who paired with Brown, makes me no longer dread the 3rd and 10's getting converted into 1st's every time.

-We re-signed our franchise Tackle, who anchors a stud O-Line that will help our RB core produce ridiculous amounts of yardage/TD's for years to come.

All of these things stemmed directly from the whole Peppers thing this offseason. If this means Hurney got played, then I'd love to see what happens when he is on the winning end of a deal. Maybe Pep will be worth $17M, maybe he won't. But that's what the organization was willing to pay, and that's what they got.

I paid $450 when the first iPhone came out. Now one with 4x the memory and features sells for half that. I didn't get played. I got what I wanted, for what I was willing to pay for it at the time.

[panthers55]

This is where I disagree with your presumption that Pep wins in this situation.

We ensured that we had a Top DE on this year's defense. That was critical as we still have all of the pieces to make a SB run. Without Pep, our DL is pedestrian at best.

We drafted Brown as a future replacement to Pep. However, very few rookies make huge impacts.

If Brown pans out...and I believe he will....then Pep is gone next year.

If we had let Pep walk, we would be taking a big step backwards on defense at a time when we are a playoff and SB contending team.

The Panthers and Hurney won in this chess game.....we got what we wanted, and Pep did not.

You are right and Don Quixote can keep going after windmills if he wants. If next year is uncapped we get two franchise tags so we can tag Peppers if we want and someone else to boot. If it is capped then no one will pay what he wants, he will be going on 31 and we can still tag him if we want. In the end paying the tag figure for 2010 and letting him go in 2011 at the age of 32 ensures we got his best years and frankly saved ourselves 60 million in the process. We will have 2 years to groom Brown and likely find someone else next year as well. Plus when we release Peppers we can take his 20 million cap figure and buy 2 DEs just as good as him.

Everyone knows that Hurney is in the cat bird seat, always has been and will continue to be. Peppers is a strange bird with fool ideas. Alot like his paper champion on this board as well.

[MadHatter]

You ever stop to think why Pep took so long to sign his franchise tag? He does not want a long term deal. He wants out. And he has made that point. Why would he say he wanted out and then turn around and sign long term. Why would he stay out of OTAs if he wanted to stay long term? Why would a team give up a #1 draft pick next year to move up to the 1st round this year to get the best DE they could if they were going to sign one of the best DEs long term 2 months later? Pep gets a million a game and is almost assured to move on next year. I call that a BIG win!

Another Falcons fan talking out of his ass.....do you not realize that Pep has already said he is open to a long-term deal with the Panthers.

We took Brown as a replacement for Peppers....whether that replacement occurs next season or a couple of seasons out is stil lyet to be determined.

Also, Pep is not assured to move on next season....but, I am sure that all Falcon fans hope that is the case.

[MadHatter]

we did not ensure that we will have a top DE. We insured ourselves to pay for a once top DE who expressed that he no longer wants to play for our team.

We did not get what we wanted. Twice now we have "worked hard" at getting a long term deal done (which is what we want). All we got was a chance to show that we are willing to adapt to his demands and pay him handsomely in the meantime as long as he doesn't go anywhere.

Anytime you sign a player to a contract, you are not guaranteed anything in performance. We are no more at risk with Peppers not performing than any team that has a high priced player. In fact, I would say there is a better chance now that he performs.

He has a one year deal and is in effect playing in his contract year. Players typically have much bigger years than right after they sign a long-term deal. Therefore, I would expect Peppers to have a better season under the current scenario than if he had signed the longer deal.

We did not adapt to his demands....please do not give him that type of credit. Yes, Trgo is gone and Meeks is in. But if you think Richardson made that decision based on Pep, you are wrong. I

n fact, Trgo turned down a contract to stay....therefore you are again quoting incorrect facts that we got rid of Trgo to apease Pep.

Thanks for playing....

[MadHatter]

You are right and Don Quixote can keep going after windmills if he wants. If next year is uncapped we get two franchise tags so we can tag Peppers if we want and someone else to boot. If it is capped then no one will pay what he wants, he will be going on 31 and we can still tag him if we want. In the end paying the tag figure for 2010 and letting him go in 2011 at the age of 32 ensures we got his best years and frankly saved ourselves 60 million in the process. We will have 2 years to groom Brown and likely find someone else next year as well. Plus when we release Peppers we can take his 20 million cap figure and buy 2 DEs just as good as him.

Everyone knows that Hurney is in the cat bird seat, always has been and will continue to be. Peppers is a strange bird with fool ideas. Alot like his paper champion on this board as well.

We have a winner.......

We tagged Pep because we are a SB calibre team and would be much worse off this season without him (as we did not have a dynamic player to slot in upon his departure). We now have Brown, who has thh ability and drive to be a top calibre DE......will he, no one knows. However, one never knows when you draft a player.

By tagging Pep, we are protectingn the team in the short run while giving us time to groom his replacement.

[Sandy Claws]

a million dollar a week guy who quite possibly still does not want to play in Carolina but is being forced to and paid very highly to do so.

.

Forced? Just a few months ago, weren't you the one commenting that his agent had done a masterful job putting him in a controlling position in the negotiation? I can go back and find your posts if I have to, but if he was in control, how was he now "forced" to sign?

I wouldn't count that out as a possibility just yet.

Many weren't sure we'd keep it on him this year. Assuming nothing else changes, we'd be able to tag him again next year without worrying about cap space to sign other FAs.

I was really hoping Peppers would sign the extension so we would free up some cap space and be able to sign some help at DT and back up OL.

That might be an issue IF there were somebody available worth signing. There isn't.

The fact is that the likelihood of a positive outcome went way down as soon as Peppers started feeling like he wanted to leave and was made worse when he was tagged. That is a fact.

No, that is your opinion of the situation. (Before you start on how many agree with the assessment, I don't care, it's still just opinion.) It's negotiating, give and take between him and management. The reports are that it's having no impact within the lockerroom.

Did he sign the franchise tender with provisions of not being labeled a franchise player again??? Or is this whole scenario possible for yet another year with Pep?

There were no "NO TAG" clauses for next year. We get to do this all over again next year (and anybody is nuts if they believe we won't tag him again).

the tender had no provisions. If they are stupid enough to pay it again I am sure that he is ready to cash the checks. Especially when they are so easily manipulated into getting hims some help and changing staff and roster to accommodate him at the slightest mention of wanting to leave and only wanting to go to 4 teams.

Marty got played. It's embarrassing.

You are an absolute idiot if you believe that to be the case. NO TEAM is going to give so much as the impression that they are willing to cede that kind of authority to a player. The loss of control and discipline in the lockerroom would be irreparable.

What if he blows out both knees? Who got played then? What if he has a 25 Sack season? Who got played then?

1 chop block taking out an ACL somewhere near mid season is going to cost him 20 million plus. Based on how the market is going, he could get a long term contract now with pushing 50 million guaranteed. He loses a knee beyond the point where he can be 100% by camp next year and he'll never see that kind of money.

In terms of how things sit right now he and his agent made the best out of a very bad situation in which they were put in a very tough spot. They came away with all the options and all the guarantees.

The only option they have is to sign or sit. It'll be the same next year. It seems pretty foolish to committ up to 50 million in guarantees to a player who is 1 play from being out for the season or longer. We have him now with only having to committ a third of that.