Several readers emailed to ask the same question: Why don't the Panthers trade Julius Peppers to Denver for Jay Cutler.
They didn't trade Peppers for Cutler for the same reason they won't trade Jeff King for Peyton Manning. The Broncos wouldn't have made the deal. As inept as Denver's defense is, it wanted draft picks and a young potential starter at quarterback. The Panthers best pick is at the end of the second round, and they don't have a young quarterback who has established himself as a starter. They don't have what Denver wanted.
Remember, too, that the Broncos could trade Cutler to anybody they wanted. The Panthers can trade Peppers only to a team that he wants.
Meanwhile, most of the people I talk to around the league expect Peppers to play for Carolina next season. I don't. I think the Panthers trade him before the draft.
Who do they trade him to?
Not Denver.
Tom,
You would think that there would be some way for the Panthers Brass to sit down with Peppers and his Agent and come to an amicable resolution. He doesn't want to be here and his agent is apparently having a hard time getting anyone to talk to him. It just seems that a prearranged sign and trade would be the ticket. I know that there are teams out there interested in Peppers but that 1 year Franchise tag is getting in everyone's way.
Posted by: scoot | April 03, 2009 at 09:37 AM
We could STILL trade him to Denver. They now have an extra 1st round pick from Chicago that they could use for Peppers. The only thing that could hinder the deal would be their salary cap space.
Posted by: jrguyiii | April 03, 2009 at 09:54 AM
Should just release him. Not going to get ANYTHING for him that's worth any kind of value. At least we'd have all that money to play with. Plus he would have to take a pay cut because nobody in their right mind is going to pay him what he is going to be making. I say try to screw him as much as he's screwing us!
Posted by: Josh | April 03, 2009 at 11:56 AM
Tom,
THe Panthers are being held hostage by Julius Peppers and his agent. They are stuck with him- what other NFL team will pay him the $$ he wants, he isnt worth it. I disagree- the Panthers could have had as good a chance as anybody to get Cutler- they werent aggressive enough.
Posted by: timmytom | April 03, 2009 at 04:30 PM
Peppers Agent couldn't hold anyone or anything hostage. He and Peppers have had numerous people tell him how to get the trade he wants. Remember this; Peppers asked to be traded and now refuses to sign the Franchise Tender ?????? The Panthers can't do anything with Peppers (timmytom)SIGN THE FRANCHISE TENDER and negotiate with the team to get out of town. It just might work!
Posted by: scoot | April 03, 2009 at 04:45 PM
...except they didn't want him, tt. Why WOULD they want to replace a veteran leader who has led this team to the best successes in its history with a whiner who has never won on any level?
Posted by: Michael Procton | April 03, 2009 at 09:04 PM
Never been so glad to see a deal go down, so this non-story would finally go away. Geez, the offseason bores the crap outta me.
Posted by: Evan | April 04, 2009 at 01:41 PM
Peppers a "veteran leader?" That's a joke. Peppers is the opposite of a leader. He is being led around by the nose by his agent. The big dummy doesn't know what he wants. He only knows what his agent tells him he wants.
Posted by: Jim | April 05, 2009 at 10:05 AM
Uhh, Jim, I was talking about Delhomme. Peppers is indeed an idiot of the highest form
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