Removing the franchise tag from Julius Peppers is the best option.

[Fiz]

Even if I agreed with letting Pep go with no compensation, not now. Whats the point. If that was the mindset the Panthers could have at least gotten a 2nd or even a 3rd, 4th, 5th in the past draft. So now the draft is gone, and all the top free agents are signed. From what I understand the Panthers have enough $ to sign all their picks, so I dont see much benefit at this point to just let Pep walk.

like i said, free up cap space to sign dwayne robertson, stock pile picks for next year.

[mantal]

I'd much prefer seeing him sitting at home watching the games on TV and not getting paid than see him let loose to sign anywhere he wants. I'm not for that at all. We decided early on that we were willing to absorb his salary and keep him here, I'd rather stick with that, but that's just me...

[OneBadassCat]

I think Peppers is an elite DE talent wise. But I also think it seems that our FO and our team and fans put him on pedestal. I have never heard of a coach or player getting on his ass about anything. It just seems like, because of his talent that he is allowed to do his own thing. The defense doesn't belong to him, guys like Beason, Harris, Davis bring fire and heart to their position, but Peppers just goes out and plays. However we need to keep him imo, Brown and Johnson are not enough to fill his role. Our pass rush was pretty much garbage at times last year, removing Peppers leaves the line questionable at best.

[R0CKnR0LLA]

Imagine we just let the guy walk and he signs with NO or Atlanta... :mad2:

Ugh, and we can only get a late 3rd for that? For some reason I was thinking they had compensatory picks 2nd round as well, but RB is right, it only starts end of the 3rd.

It's pretty much a game of chicken right now. Who will blink first. Considering Hurney covered his ass by getting Brown and cleared cap room, I don't think it's going to be him.

[ItsNotGonnaBeAlright]

I'd much prefer seeing him sitting at home watching the games on TV and not getting paid than see him let loose to sign anywhere he wants. I'm not for that at all. We decided early on that we were willing to absorb his salary and keep him here, I'd rather stick with that, but that's just me...

I've got to agree with that. If they are putting this much effort into him then the FO and coaches either have hopes or plans for him. Gearing up for the bulk of training, now wouldn't be a good time to change that plan. Its gone this far, let it ride.

[dpanthersman]

i agree with alot of your points. but like alot of other people have said im still a little uncomfortable with the idea of letting him walk for nothing. IMO if we keep him tagged hes either gonna realize his value isnt that high cause no one is making any offers for him and hell resign with us, or hell decide hes willing to play for more teams other than the 4 on the "list" and hell sign with another team for alot less than what he originally wanted.

[StepandFetch]

there is just so much of this situation that we probably aren't aware of yet

[Fiz]

Imagine we just let the guy walk and he signs with NO or Atlanta... :mad2:

i'd love for them to invest heavily in a player who gives a lot of reason to believe he's going to lie down as soon as he gets his next payday.

It's pretty much a game of chicken right now. Who will blink first. Considering Hurney covered his ass by getting Brown and cleared cap room, I don't think it's going to be him.

this is a stupid and childish game to play that's detrimental to both sides.

[Ja Rhule]

great job Fiz, what a great idea! Lets wait until after the draft and let peppers go then! No body would sign his ass right?

[Kevin Greene]

Removing the franchise tag from Julius Peppers is the best option.

No it's not. At least the FO doesn't think so or they'd have done it months ago.

The Panthers decided long ago to take this course.

Also Jerry Richarson is an NFL first kind of guy. Telling Julius Peppers you're free of the Franchise Tag because he won't sign his tender sets a dangerous precident for future contract negotiations with other players.

[Fiz]

great job Fiz, what a great idea! Lets wait until after the draft and let peppers go then! No body would sign his ass right?

there are so many specific, articulate points you could have responded to and yet you post this rubbish.

[Ja Rhule]

there are so many specific, articulate points you could have responded to and yet you post this rubbish.

its pretty straight forward tho

[hdevonxz]

Yes lets remove the franchise tag after all notable FAs have been signed..

i honestly stopped reading after u said peppers was no longer an elite DE....after coming off his best season ever..

[d-run]

I think the time has passed to just remove the tag. I agree with alot of your points, Fiz, but it would have made more sense to just not place the tag on him on the first place when there were more quality free agents. I don't know if Dwayne Robertson is worth losing a player like Peppers, there is a reason he is still on the market. Plus, this would just shift our need from DT to DE. There may be a sort of log jam there now, but remove an all pro and we are short handed. Tyler would be the only DE we have that can stop the run, and he is not a very good pass rusher.

With that said, if they wouldn't have tagged him, we would all have been pissed they didn't try to get some compensation for him, in say, this past draft. It's just a tough situation...which, in my opinion, we are best off just holding on to him and seeing what he brings to the field in another contract year.