Maybe A Dumb Question Here

[scratchy1]

Its in the link I posted. Cant copy and paste it but if you read the franchise section it is in there.

I don't think it is. The player is prohibited from negotiating or signing a contract (he can negotiate an offer sheet if he is non-exclusive). But that doesn't prevent a trade because in that case the team to which the player is traded assumes the existing contract.

Peppers could be traded, but since he is a free agent (unrestricted, I think) after this season, any team trading for him would insist on his agreement to a long-term contract as part of the deal. That's been the key issue all along---none of the teams in which Peppers has expressed an interest were willing to part with any players or picks that the Panthers would accept, or the two first-round picks required as compensation for an offer sheet for this season.