Gantt says Peppers is probably on the way out

[CBDellinger]

Pep might not like the way he is being used in our scheme....

He might want to be in a 3-4?

who knows?

This is gonna be interesting... I hope it doesnt get ugly.

[Delhommey]

Dallas doesn't have any picks to make a trade.

[Proudiddy]

From what Fox knows, it sounds even more likely he's gone (from the Observer):

Q. Julius Peppers is very noncommittal about coming back, do you believe he will?

"Julius, who I've got utmost respect for, is a private person. He's a different person than other people. It's a process. He's been fairly private with the process. I'll leave it at that. I've got no complaints with Julius, no questions about his commitment. It's the business part of it. He did a great job of focusing on football this year and not letting anybody from outside make it a distraction. I've got a great deal of respect for that."

Q. What kind of priority is it to keep him here?

"I'd say it's important. Most people would see that as being important, just like keeping Jordan (Gross) here and all our core players here. I can't predict the future. I'd be at the racetrack if I could."

Q. If you can't re-sign him, would you franchise him?

"You're asking me questions a day after the season's over. They're good questions, but again, it's a process. Right now, I'm look forward to having next week off."

Q. Do you feel like you know where he stands?

"I've had conversations with him. I tend to keep that private. Those things are between me and Julius."

Q. How important is this situation, knowing the decisions you need to make between now and March 1?

"It's still early. So early I can't believe it. We both know how we feel about him and we know how he feels about us. It's the business part of it and I hope it works out."

Q. If Julius prefers not to be here, would you work with him or put the franchise tag on him?

"Again, that's hypothetical and I don't do good with hypotheticals. We'll march forward. Things change."

[CBDellinger]

how can u tell anything from that interview?

[Cpt slay a ho]

wow,it's funny how some of you are ready to take a bullet for jake even after his 5 int game,but as soon as pep doesn't get 8 sacks in a game your ready for him to go.

pack jake up and ship him out,the cards had great field position the whole game.

plus there was pressure around the edges but warner was able to step up,get us a pass rushing dt.and when the game was over(end of the first quarter) the cards started running the ball.

[Proudiddy]

how can u tell anything from that interview?

I think there is a clear emphasis by Fox on "the business part of it." Which is usually alluded to when a player has left or is leaving.

[Brooklyn Bully]

Pep might not like the way he is being used in our scheme....

He might want to be in a 3-4?

who knows?

This is gonna be interesting... I hope it doesnt get ugly.

He's not. I don't ever like to name names in posts like this, but I can state for a fact that Pep told a team doctor last season that he doesn't have respect for [the coaching staff]. That last part is scewed contextually. I can't figure if he means play calling, a coach himself, or what. But he DID say that. Not to the press mind you. This was before LAST season also.

[Proudiddy]

He's not. I don't ever like to name names in posts like this, but I can state for a fact that Pep told a team doctor last season that he doesn't have respect for [the coaching staff]. That last part is scewed contextually. I can't figure if he means play calling, a coach himself, or what. But he DID say that. Not to the press mind you. This was before LAST season also.

Which falls into line with my feeling that he hasn't wanted to be here the last 2 seasons or so. Perhaps Fox is being forced to make a decision between keeping Turdo or Pep, b/c Pep doesn't want to play for him.

[CatfanMO]

If Peppers leaves our defense will be one of the worst defenses in the league next year. He's the only one that can get pressure on the quarterback, even while getting double teamed.

Mark it down...if Peppers goes our defense will be one of the ten worst defenses in the league.

We were damn near the bottom ten worst defenses this year. The cards game, the lions would have beat us at home.

[CBDellinger]

Which falls into line with my feeling that he hasn't wanted to be here the last 2 seasons or so. Perhaps Fox is being forced to make a decision between keeping Turdo or Pep, b/c Pep doesn't want to play for him.

Well by all means then fire Turdo...

[Proudiddy]

Well by all means then fire Turdo...

Now you see where I'm going CB! Conspiracies abound!

[Proudiddy]

More fuel to the fire:

On Sunday morning, Peppers talked about his future.

"I want to win a Super Bowl," Peppers said. "That is the ultimate goal in this game. That is why we play. I want to be on a great team and be around great guys in a great organization. It's not about money. It's not about any of that kind of stuff. It's about being happy."

Link

This pisses me off a little. So we're not that organization? We don't have the potential to be?

[Zaximus]

More fuel to the fire:

Link

This pisses me off a little. So we're not that organization? We don't have the potential to be?

Wait, don't twist his words. Maybe he meant that's what he wants when he signs, be it our team or somewhere else. Peppers has never been a type of guy to diss his team in the public, I doubt he'd start now. You realize his agent may have told him to start dropping hints so the fanbase panics and we drop a bomb of a contract? It's possible.

[Darth Biscuit]

"I want to win a Super Bowl," Peppers said. "That is the ultimate goal in this game. That is why we play. I want to be on a great team and be around great guys in a great organization. It's not about money. It's not about any of that kind of stuff. It's about being happy."

I think that you can take this comment either way... he wasn't clear whether he was saying he wants to GO somewhere where this is the case, or whether he wants to STAY here because that is already the case here. Based on some of his other comments, I think he thinks that's the case here, he likes his teammates, etc., but I don't know that for fact.