Julius Peppers Wants to go to the Patriots

[ClevelandFanForLife]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090317/ap_on_...thers_peppers_5

AP source: Peppers would like to be a Patriot

 

By MIKE CRANSTON, AP Sports Writer Mike Cranston, Ap Sports Writer – Tue Mar 17, 3:31 pm ET

This is an Aug. 23, 2008 file photo showing Carolina Panthers' defensive end AP – This is an Aug. 23, 2008 file photo showing Carolina Panthers' defensive end Julius Peppers reacting …

 

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Julius Peppers wants out of Carolina and wouldn't mind going to New England. The Panthers will let him go only for what they feel is fair compensation. The long-running offseason drama involving the four-time Pro Bowl defensive end is nowhere near a resolution, leaving the Panthers without salary-cap space and Peppers' future uncertain.

 

A day after the Panthers dismissed an NFL.com report that Peppers was close to being dealt to New England for a second-round pick, a person close to Peppers said Tuesday the Patriots are one of the teams for which he'd like to play.

 

The Dallas Cowboys and two other unidentified NFC teams also are on Peppers' four-team wish list, according to the same person, speaking on condition of anonymity because the trade talks were supposed to remain confidential.

 

But there are several obstacles that must be cleared before Peppers leaves Charlotte. The biggest is that the Panthers have placed the franchise tag on their career sacks leader. That required them to offer him a one-year tender for $16.7 million that counts immediately counts against the salary cap, leaving the Panthers no cap space to make any other moves in free agency.

 

Under the nonexclusive franchise tag rules, Peppers could sign with another team only if that club gave up two first-round draft picks in return. There is precedent for teams letting a franchise player go for less compensation — Kansas City traded defensive end Jared Allen to Minnesota last year for a first-round pick and two third-round choices — but any kind of deal now is tricky because Peppers hasn't signed his tender with Carolina.

 

Until he does, the Panthers are barred from any trade talks involving Peppers. His agent can negotiate with other teams, then can come to the Panthers with a deal for them to accept or reject.

 

General manager Marty Hurney said in a statement Monday they've not been presented with any trade proposals.

 

It's also uncertain that the Panthers would be willing to accept only a second-round pick — as the NFL.com report suggested — for a player who had 14 1/2 sacks last season and is the cornerstone of their defensive line.

 

Peppers, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2002 draft, announced last month that he wouldn't sign a long-term deal with Carolina and wanted to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. The Patriots are among the teams that use that defense.

 

To me, this is hilarious. It would be great to go to the Patriots or Cowboys. I'm guessing that the other teams he would go to are the Giants and the Redskins. How big of balls does this guy have? He must not want out of Carolina that bad if he is willing to wait for the perfect team to come calling. I always thought that Peppers was a class act but this is ridiculous. What an ass (note that i mean he is a jerk. I don't mean "what an ass" in the way you would say it to Amber).

 

Why doesn't Peppers just see if he can get a time machine and get on with the 80s 49ers so that he can win 5 rings. That way he already has the championships instead of the uncertainty next year in New England. While he's at it he might as well take that time machine to 1973 and invest all of his money in Xerox and Microsoft. Give me a break. Peppers needs to learn that when you are demanding for your employer to trade you, you don't have demands on where you want to go. What an ass (this time I do mean Amber).