Fox Sports discusses draft day trade of Peppers

[guyinchesapeake]

This whole Peppers thing has left me scratching my head. Here's a guy from NC, went to college in NC, plays pro ball in NC, coming off a career year with a team that was oh-so close last season to putting it all together. Yet, he's not happy? I wonder what the real reason is?

That said, I've said all along that if he's that unhappy, try to move him, but don't let him get away 'for a song'. Get something of real valuef or him. But Peppers appears to have acquired a reputation in his time here for not having much of a work ethic, which other teams have picked up on. If he stays, he has to be smart enough to know that the one who gets hurt the most if he doesn't produce is HIM. He's going to be a year older, subject to more bruising and banging and possible injury, and if he doesn't have a decent year, he may well find himself released out-and-out, and he won't have any real leverage to parlay into a 'superstar' contract. The team may thus have more cards to play than has been let on. I like him, he's a cornerstone and face of this franchise, and I wish things work out to make all involved happy. But if that doesn't happen, throwing this franchise tag on him and announcing high expectations from him production-wise may not be such a bad thing. It may be worth trying..

[Jackofalltrades]

Peppers will finish his career in Carolina... After he plays this season under the tag, he will sign his final contract with us next offseason...

I agree completely.

[panthers55]

For what it is worth saying that Pepper's sacks against Oakland don't count because Oakland is a bad offense is naive.

Just because you don't win a lot doesn't mean your left tackle is poor as well. And Peppers plays against another player not the whole team.

Secondly any team can neutralize Peppers if they gameplan to stop him. So a good team keeping him from getting a sack doesn't mean they have a good line or that Peppers sucks anymore, that a good team allowing him to get one or two sacks says they have a poor O-line or validates Peppers either.

These simplistic explanations fail to account for the real factors that impact sacks which in and of itself is an overblown stat as well.

[Delhommey]

Regardless, Peppers peaked in 04 and 05 and has never returned to that level.

He still cannot be replaced in this draft.

[panthers55]

Regardless, Peppers peaked in 04 and 05 and has never returned to that level.

He still cannot be replaced in this draft.

You can't say he peaked when he had a career high number of sacks in 2008. Secondly the line is 2005 was better than our D line in 2008. Peppers is a function of the line. When they had to worry about Jenkins for example peppers drew fewer double teams. Lewis never occupied 2 defenders making it easy to double Peppers if needed.

[CatMan72]

You can't say he peaked when he had a career high number of sacks in 2008. Secondly the line is 2005 was better than our D line in 2008. Peppers is a function of the line. When they had to worry about Jenkins for example peppers drew fewer double teams. Lewis never occupied 2 defenders making it easy to double Peppers if needed.

Agreed... Peppers peaked last year when he was moved to RE and had a career high 14.5 sacks. Imagine what Peppers could do if we had a penetrating DT that could draw double-teams or another DE that was a consistent pass-rush threat.

[Panthro]

Then he is truly only concerned with money and doesn't mind hamstringing a franchise.

:eek:

[carolinarolls]

You can't say he peaked when he had a career high number of sacks in 2008. Secondly the line is 2005 was better than our D line in 2008. Peppers is a function of the line. When they had to worry about Jenkins for example peppers drew fewer double teams. Lewis never occupied 2 defenders making it easy to double Peppers if needed.

mr' stat lover strikes again. where did the majority of those sacks come 55. against the good or bad competition primarily?

just think about it.

[MadHatter]

For what it is worth saying that Pepper's sacks against Oakland don't count because Oakland is a bad offense is naive.

Just because you don't win a lot doesn't mean your left tackle is poor as well. And Peppers plays against another player not the whole team.

Secondly any team can neutralize Peppers if they gameplan to stop him. So a good team keeping him from getting a sack doesn't mean they have a good line or that Peppers sucks anymore, that a good team allowing him to get one or two sacks says they have a poor O-line or validates Peppers either.

These simplistic explanations fail to account for the real factors that impact sacks which in and of itself is an overblown stat as well.

I was never inferring that the sacks did not count....just making a statement that Peppers struggled against decent OLines. Take it for what it is worth.

[Delhommey]

You can't say he peaked when he had a career high number of sacks in 2008. Secondly the line is 2005 was better than our D line in 2008. Peppers is a function of the line. When they had to worry about Jenkins for example peppers drew fewer double teams. Lewis never occupied 2 defenders making it easy to double Peppers if needed.

Yes I can, and I'd be right.

1. # of sacks means nothing.

2. Your argument makes no sense at all seeing as Jenkins played 1 game in '05 (only 4 games in 04) but played a full 16 in '07.