Trade rumor: Peppers for Umenyiora

[tarheelpride]

throw in a pick and mario manningham and i'm all for it

[PantherPhann89]

I'd be ok with that, but I'd really be ok with Pep and Osi together on the Panthers. All Pep needs is another dominate player to feed from. Can you picture our D then under Meeks?

[CatMan72]

Can someone explain to me how you trade a player that's not under contract with your team and an unrestricted free agent?

Quit clouding this discussion with facts, some guy on the radio in San Diego said so... that should be good enough for you. LOL

[GreatPoupon]

peppers for hakeem nicks.

[CatfanMO]

Maybe we can trade Stewart and a 2nd for Peppers. That is if the team he signs with will take it.

[Khyber53]

I believe the rumor might have more credibility if either of the teams were closer to this guy's base in San Diego. Just seems like he is spit-balling to fill time in the off season.

I'd rather have Peppers and this whole thing we're going through right now seems like his (and his agent's) annual posturing. Pep's salary requirements put him in pretty rare air and only a few teams would bite at the rate he expects to get. And there are some points that make him possibly not as attractive as he wants to appear to other front offices.

1. When Pep plays, he wants to pretty much play it his way. He'll pick his side of the line, work the technique he wants, come out of the game when he feels he wants to. He can get away with that here, but another DC/HC might not like that.

2. It can take a season to pick up the defensive calls/adjustments that a team already has in place. Traded linemen often have a down year right after they are traded, unless they come in with a brand new defensive coordinator at the same time. Getting in sync is very important.

3. That slow year (and he's had a couple here, too) can be a stopper if you pair it with his age and the potential for injury that his position has. It's an awful lot of money to commit to a player in their early 30s who has a few dings on him already.

4. If he doesn't mesh well with the new team/hometown, how much chance will there be that he will demand a trade after one year? His agent has pulled this brinksmanship crap with us for so many years now that perhaps no one else will want to grab it.

5. Lastly, what if the trade happens and then Pep gets cold feet and decides that he doesn't want to play for that team? It can leave a front office in a very difficult position and a lot of egg on their faces.

All of that aside, here's what I think is the real deal. The front office is purposefully staying quiet until the free agency period begins. There's nothing saying they have to do anything until then, except for sports writers and talk radio who need something to report. In the meantime, they hope that Pep and his agent will expend all of their ammunition, perhaps saying something foolish, before negotiations begin.

And if there is silence from the rest of the league, then the Panthers' front office will be negotiating from a stronger position. The team wants to keep him and I believe the ownership is behind that as well. He's a star here, one he may not be anywhere else, and I believe that Pep understands that now pretty well after no team fell over itself to grab him last year.

I believe that in the end, we'll sign him for four years, $40 million or something like that, heavy payouts at the front and back ends of the deal. It won't be sexy, but it's plenty of money and would allow him to finish out his career here and keep that one team tag that may someday help him in HoF balloting.

[X-Clown]

Maybe we can trade Stewart and a 2nd for Peppers. That is if the team he signs with will take it.

???

[Peppers90 NC]

they would have to at least throw in a second for this deal to be somewhat entertaining. For those of you who think this is a straight up trade are out of your fn' ignorant minds.

[MadHatter]

Can someone explain to me how you trade a player that's not under contract with your team and an unrestricted free agent?

It would be a sign and trade deal. He is not a FA until the first week of March.

[Fiz]

they would have to at least throw in a second for this deal to be somewhat entertaining. For those of you who think this is a straight up trade are out of your fn' ignorant minds.

hmmm it seems you are not taking into consideration all the difference factors that would go in to making this trade

[MadHatter]

they would have to at least throw in a second for this deal to be somewhat entertaining. For those of you who think this is a straight up trade are out of your fn' ignorant minds.

You take what you can get.

I would rather have Osi that either let Pep wald for nothing....or pay Pep $20M under the Franchise Tag.

[Peppers90 NC]

You take what you can get.

I would rather have Osi that either let Pep wald for nothing....or pay Pep $20M under the Franchise Tag.

Yes, rather than walking for free. But that is not going to happen, and Pep is the best all purpose DE and Osi no longer even sniffs Peps jock with recent injuries.

[GreatPoupon]

Yes, rather than walking for free. But that is not going to happen, and Pep is the best all purpose DE and Osi no longer even sniffs Peps jock with recent injuries.

i would trade peppers for osi's jock straight up.

[Mesmer]

Yes, rather than walking for free. But that is not going to happen, and Pep is the best all purpose DE and Osi no longer even sniffs Peps jock with recent injuries.

if a deal doesn't get hammered out soon, it will. don't be so sure.