Free Agent Target #8 - DE Julius Peppers

by Brandon on Feb 17, 2009 12:00 PM CST Comment 9 comments

It has been suggested, that the 8th best free agent this offseason is DE Julius Peppers. He just turned 29 years old and he's already had a great NFL career. It looked like he might have started to decline after his 2007 season, but he rebounded in 2008 with 14.5 sacks. Green and Bold is in favor of signing him:

Julius Peppers at OLB would be absolutely insane. I’d love to go after him.

Although the pass defense was outstanding last season, the decline and release of DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, along with the season ending injury to DE Cullen Jenkins, really left them with no consistent pass rush on the right side. Jenkins will return and probably play at right defensive end. But GM Ted Thompson should consider a top pass rusher to play at right OLB (assuming DE Aaron Kampman moves to left OLB).

The big problem with signing Peppers is that he's never played outside LB. Also, he might have had a falling out with his former defensive coordinator Mike Trogvac who was just hired to coach the defensive line in Green Bay. Although Trogvac's problem last season seems to have been with Carolina's head coach John Fox and not Peppers.

Another problem is that he doesn't look like a OLB. He looks like a perfect defensive end in a 4-3 scheme. That's what former GMs Charley Casserly and Floyd Reese said. Of course, that might also be why Casserly and Reese are former GMs. A lot of people (myself included) thought CB Charles Woodson would have to move to safety when the Packers signed him in 2006. Since I was wrong about Woodson, he's still a great cornerback, I'm willing to give Peppers the benefit of the doubt that he can play OLB in a 3-4.

One other note; he's proven that he's not the greatest teammate by his stated desire to move on and never sign a long term contract with Carolina.

Peppers will come with a huge price tag. It's possible Carolina will place the franchise tag on him and be willing to pay him $17 million for one season. That's an awful lot of money for someone who has no problem burning bridges and might struggle with the transition to a new position. He's a great player who would certainly make the Packers better in 2009, but I would prefer they pursue a great college pass rushing DE who appears better suited for the transition to OLB, such as Florida State's Everette Brown. Or I would prefer free agent DE/OLB Terrell Suggs over Peppers too.

Poll

Should the Packers pursue free agent DE Julius Peppers?

Yes

111 votes

No

80 votes

191 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

I've said it before and I'll say it again

Peppers is absolutely, totally, and completely not worth it. First of all he would cost us our 1st rd pick and probably a third too. That means giving up the 9th pick and the pick that we got in the Favre trade. That already is too much for a guy with exceptional physical abilities but absolutely no heart or passion whatsoever. Add the fact that he would have to learn a new position in a new system that he is not a perfect fit for. And oh yeah, we would have to sign him to a pretty big deal too. Whoever ends up with Peppers will probably end up regretting it is my bet.

Now a guy like Suggs is a completely different story.

Frye is honestly gotta be one of the top 10 3rd Stringers in all of the NFL right now--colbyb

by verno329 on Feb 17, 2009 1:42 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

Peppers hasn't been franchised yet

He will be a free agent unless the Panthers put the tag on him, so we wouldn’t be giving up any draft picks if this happens. Granted, he’d cost a lot of money, but what he can do for a defense is worth it. The man is simply a play-maker. Yes, he has never played linebacker, but as a 3-4 outside linebacker, the greatest commodity of concern is athletic ability, and Peppers has that to the extreme. Brandon says that he doesn’t look like a 3-4 OLB, but I don’t think he looks like a 4-3 DE, either. Simply put, he’s a freak of nature, a 6’7" beast who is incredibly fluid and quick.

Yes, there are definitely risks. Taking a chance on a guy who’s never played the position and at a steep price could definitely come back to bite us in the butt. But I believe Julius is a game-changing individual, the type of player who will thrive in the big-play role of a 3-4 OLB. Now, do I think we’ll go after him? Nah. As Brandon put it, there are safer options out there in the draft. But none of them have the potential upside that this super-freak does. Peppers could be for the Packers now what Reggie White was back in the 90’s.

"stay (green and) gold"

by Green and Bold on Feb 18, 2009 12:10 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I don't mean to be so hyper-critical of Peppers but...

…this statement is an absolute slap in the face to Reggie White’s memory

Peppers could be for the Packers now what Reggie White was back in the 90’s

I’m not trying to bash you, Green and Bold. But Reggie White was a once in a lifetime player who played with heart, passion, determination, and was an absolute born leader on and off the field. Julius Peppers is simply an out of this world athlete and nothing more. Granted, being an out of this world athlete is hardly a bad thing but Reggie was much more than an out of this world athlete.

Frye is honestly gotta be one of the top 10 3rd Stringers in all of the NFL right now--colbyb

by verno329 on Feb 19, 2009 8:36 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

+100000

Reggie left everything on the field when he played which is seldom to find now and Peppers definitely does not have that quality!

by bizzle4 on Feb 19, 2009 2:07 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You can have the ungrateful SOB!

I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com

by Jaxon on Feb 18, 2009 2:10 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

yikes

if by some chance Peppers does come to Green Bay, I certainly hope that we don’t end up seeing him the same way Carolina fans do

"I'm so clean, cats think I sip Ajax."

by Mitchell_M on Feb 18, 2009 2:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

we certainly would

Frye is honestly gotta be one of the top 10 3rd Stringers in all of the NFL right now--colbyb

by verno329 on Feb 19, 2009 8:18 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Peppers

Too many things don’t add up… He had all of 2 1/2 sacks in 07, he has NEVER played 3/4 OLB so its a big leap of faith to sign him, 29 yrs old, will be GROSSLY overpaid…

Makes NO SENSE… He is a 4/3 DE and Carolina did everything to make him successful playing in thier scheme! And he, for the most part has been successful.

To sign a guy for the type of HUGE contract that he is seeking and HOPING he adjusts to something he has never done?! THompson will NEVER do it… Nor should he!!!!

by Strohman on Feb 18, 2009 8:50 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Got tagged

Although he’s now been tagged, he’s also the most likely franchise player to get traded, so this all applies to whether the Packers should trade for him.

by Brandon on Feb 19, 2009 11:44 PM CST reply actions 0 recs