T - minus

[CanadianCat]

The reason is, I feel that Peps may or may NOT be in the future plans beyond 2009 depending on what happens this year.

I honestly dont know how we would get to the SB without Pep. Our window is growing smaller. Smith will only be on the top of his game for a few more years, Delhomme is getting older and soon TD and Davis will need new contracts. So if we are going to make a push I think that Pep has to be part of the equation

[carpanfan96]

The deadline according to the CBA is 4PM on July 15th.

The key text comes from Article XX, Section 2(k) of the CBA: "Any Club designating a Franchise Player shall have until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on July 15 of the League Year (or, if July 15 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the first Monday thereafter) for which the designation takes effect to sign the player to a multi-year contract or extension. After that date, the player may sign only a one-year Player Contract with his Prior Club for that season, and such Player Contract may not be extended until after the Club's last regular season game."

See now that's a weird damn time compared to the rest of the time line's the NFL has. Normal relative term wise, but comparison wise it's a strange choice.

Thanks for pointing that out. I knew teams used to be able to extend at any point...no matter the scenario, but I guess that's changed.

I'm thinking that the team plans on giving Peps his payday and negotiates a new deal after the season. The reason is, I feel that Peps may or may NOT be in the future plans beyond 2009 depending on what happens this year.

Issues ranging from Peps performance, Brown's development, Super Bowl win, to cap space. I think it's not a done deal that the team is 100% committed to Peps in 2010.

Now I don't know if what they said was true or not, and I'm basing this off of that. In the NFL network's team preview it said that the Rookies contracts were all ironed out, and the team was waiting on to see if they could get a deal with Peppers. If they can't NFL network said they would have to go back to the Rookie contracts (not yet signed) and re due them.

[Squirrel]

Basically after the 15ht we can not work on a new deal with a franchise player. The Franchise palyer will play under the franchise tag. After the season ends we can restart negotiations.

[ncbobcat]

I think some missed my point. Peps is here for 2009, new contract or not. My point was if the team doesn't get a new long-term deal done, depending on what happens as the 2009 season plays out, Peps may not get a deal or at least the one he wants in 2010. As a result, the front office will let, although begrudgingly, Peppers walk.

We are all assuming here that Peps gets the contract he wants next season due to the front office's unthinkable scenario that he plays his days out elsewhere. Don't assume that if Peps has a down year or we win the Super Bowl or Brown blows up ( in the good way) Hurney will slap the tag on him again fretting about Peppers 'slipping away'.

I think, in all honesty, if a new deal isn't struck in a couple of days, this is Peppers last year in Carolina.

[Fireball77]

FWIW, lightbulbhead/Crypt Keeper just said on NFL Live that it doesn't look good for Pep to get a LT deal before the deadline.

[Brandon]

FWIW, lightbulbhead/Crypt Keeper just said on NFL Live that it doesn't look good for Pep to get a LT deal before the deadline.

I also vaguely remember him saying there was no way he'd play for the Panthers again so... I'll wait until the deadline. There's obviously no way to know what sort of progress has/hasn't been made to this point.

[Fireball77]

I agree. That's why I put FWIW, because we know that usually these guys don't have legit team sources.

[Jangler]

Clayton, also said that a deal this complicated, that there just wasn't enough time to work out the details. So he sees Pep playing this season under the tag and doing a new deal in the offseason.

[mantal]

FWIW, lightbulbhead/Crypt Keeper just said on NFL Live that it doesn't look good for Pep to get a LT deal before the deadline.

They were also saying how Terrell Suggs is a complete DE and Peppers is not...

[double_blue]

i dont know how you can just let one of the top rush men go without a fight. i say keep him, lock him up if possible, then see how he works int he new scheme... if he does, then make it happen, its not often that a team has the rights to such a top level player.

[Fireball77]

Mint: I heard that. Suggs is basically more of an OLB though so that isn't necessarily a good comparison. The thing about Hoge is that he says what he sees on film. Granted that Clady handled a lot of guys last year so that wasn't the greatest example. If all he's going to go on is one game (which isn't fair) he should have at least picked a game where they had a backup @ LT and the backup basically handled Pep one on one. There were a couple of those IIRC.

[mantal]

Mint: I heard that. Suggs is basically more of an OLB though so that isn't necessarily a good comparison. The thing about Hoge is that he says what he sees on film. Granted that Clady handled a lot of guys last year so that wasn't the greatest example. If all he's going to go on is one game (which isn't fair) he should have at least picked a game where they had a backup @ LT and the backup basically handled Pep one on one. There were a couple of those IIRC.

I agree, I was just parrotting what was said...

[Brandon]

Clayton, also said that a deal this complicated, that there just wasn't enough time to work out the details. So he sees Pep playing this season under the tag and doing a new deal in the offseason.

Well that may be an issue but either way but if it's this year or next we'll get him signed. Especially if he has fun with Meeks this year.

[Kettle]

i just got through to NFL radio on sirius, and asked Tim and Pat about this. Their opinion is that it won't get done before Wednesday, and that if it did he would have to be the top payed defensive player in the league.