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**BU54** · 01-15-2008, 07:25 AM

COLUMN: Panthers in tough position when it comes to Peppers' contract (Updated)
Written by Steve Reed
1/14/2008 4:38:21 PM

CHARLOTTE – We all know Julius Peppers was a superstar in his first five seasons with the Carolina Panthers. And we all saw how his production dipped in 2007.

But in agent Carl Carey’s mind, Peppers’ net worth as an NFL player has not changed with his client’s first disappointing season.

“Julius is the same player he’s always been,” Carey said Monday. “Any speculation contrary to that is not correct in our minds. He had five extremely productive seasons prior to this year and we know he’s still the same player he’s always been. It doesn’t matter externally what anyone else thinks.”

If you read between the lines, what Carey is basically saying, without actually saying it, is this: When Peppers signs a new deal he won’t settle for a contract less than what Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney received last off-season – a seven-year, $72 million deal that included $30 million in guaranteed money.

That puts Panthers general manager Marty Hurney in an interesting situation.

Before the 2007 season, signing Peppers to a long-term deal would have been a no-brainer. In fact, nobody around the league would have batted an eye had Peppers received a contract that equaled or even eclipsed Freeney’s.

But after the season Peppers endured it’s no longer a given that he deserves a Freeney-sized contract, especially if he repeats that performance in the coming years.

Peppers had just three sacks in 2007 after averaging 10.7 over his first five seasons. He had 55 tackles, his lowest total since his rookie year when he played only 12 games. And, even more concerning than the numbers is that Peppers wasn’t as dominant as in past years. In fact, he was quite ordinary, regularly handled one-on-one by average right tackles. On one play late in the season, Jacksonville running back Maurice Jones-Drew stood up Peppers despite giving up eight inches and 70 pounds.

So here’s the dilemma.

If Hurney signs off on a Freeney-type contract for Peppers right now he runs the risk of having his named attached to one of the worst contracts in NFL history if Peppers’ performance on the field fails to improve. Can you imagine the uproar among the fan base if Peppers collects on a deal worth more than $10 million per season and comes up with only three sacks in 2008?

On the other hand, the notion of trading or cutting Peppers after one bad season out of six won’t sit particularly well either with most fans, especially if Peppers goes to, say, Baltimore and puts up 15 sacks next year.

Either way, as with any huge contract, there is risk involved. And either way there is the potential for second guessing.

FULL STORY
http://www.carolinagrowl.com/Read.aspx?Story=474

**Black Prowler** · 01-15-2008, 05:13 PM

I don't think Pep will get that kind of money from the Panthers after his lackluster performance this season. However I don't put the blame entirely on him when it was our coaching staff who didn't use him properly. Regarding a contract extension..they can still give hime a 2 or 3 year deal with an option to extend to 4 more years based on positive performance, which would end up totaling about the same money in the end that Peppers is seeking.

**Professor** · 01-15-2008, 05:26 PM

Peppers didn't have help at all either at times, I presume that he'll come back to form, but just not for as much money as he was throwing around at the beginning of the year.

**BU54** · 01-15-2008, 05:58 PM

He's a guy I almost forgot about. Didn't hear anything about Peppers this season.
A highly incentive based contract would be the way to go. But that seems to almost be the norm in todays NFL.