Peppers says he wants to explore free agency

29 year old Peppers? No thanks. 1 or 2 years is all that you might get out of him and to do that, The Little Danny would have to pay him a ton of money.
For once, let's try and build through the draft and get some young players that can contribute for the next 4 -8 years instead of these high priced 1 year flops we keep getting.

People are so polarized on this site. I am not hell bent on signing Peppers since I think we have more glaring need (O LINE) but he would not be a bad signing. He is a proven pro bowler who had an off year. 29 years old is not super young but its also not 35.

What is it with people wanting out of Carolina? First Jenkins and now Peppers. I'd certainly take a look at him and you know we will cause that's how Dan and Vinny operate. I think he can help us and he's better than anyone we have so why not??

What is it with people wanting out of Carolina? First Jenkins and now Peppers. I'd certainly take a look at him and you know we will cause that's how Dan and Vinny operate. I think he can help us and he's better than anyone we have so why not??

Jerry Richardson doesn't have the reputation as being one of the best owners in the league. Also John Fox can wear on people because of his abrasive style.

I'm w/ 53Fan and the cohort who says this is opportunity we should pass on. Build through the draft or through smart FA pick-ups for value type players. No massive paydays for 29 yr old guys who may be coming to the end of their heyday.

I do agree that DE is likely a need for us. On the one hand if we cut JT and resigned him for far less money then he can have right end while Evans and AC swap on the left side (IMO AC is better suited for strong side end than Taylor ever was). More than likely though, as Paintrain has said, JT is out of DC next year and we are down to AC and Evans... unless Blache sees serious potential in Jackson or Wilson we need to go get a legit end. It's times like these I wish we could "develop" diamonds in the rough to address needs instead of constantly needing to draft/sign yet another question mark.

I'd say no to both. Lets build through the draft and sign some FA's who are not ready to get the biggest payday of their career.

I heard that...

I'd like Peppers and he'd obviously be a major upgrade in a department that we need but the residual costs would be way too high. Also he'd probably come here and mail it in like the various other FA's that we've signed in the past.

Defensive end Julius Peppers ready to leave Carolina Panthers - ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3839736)

Of course we don't want a thread for every free agent who says he wants out, but in this case Peppers is one of those game changer/play maker/physical freaks that can change our defense. If the Panthers allow him to test the market he jumps Haynesworth (motivation questions once he gets his $) and Gross (position change and $ questions) to the top of the Redskins board.

I know the big "need" for a DT but drafting a DT (which this draft lacks an elite group) can be done in the 2nd (assuming trade) or 3rd round. There's no-one in this draft that rivals what Peppers can bring to the table for us.

Assuming Taylor doesn't return, which at $8 million is a virtual certainty, Peppers is a perfect compliment to Carter. He already plays the opposite end, is strong against the run and can drop down to DT in a pinch.

We'll pay him way more than he ever made in Carolina and he'll never deliver the same production. Haven't we learned our lesson?

Ravens, Patriots, Steelers, Ravens, Titans, Giants, Rascal - teams that draft well, develop talent and know when to let players go. These teams find good free agents and get great production out of them. The Skins get great free agents and get average production out of them.

Going after Peppers would be a bad move.

I'm w/ 53Fan and the cohort who says this is opportunity we should pass on. Build through the draft or through smart FA pick-ups for value type players. No massive paydays for 29 yr old guys who may be coming to the end of their heyday.

I do agree that DE is likely a need for us. On the one hand if we cut JT and resigned him for far less money then he can have right end while Evans and AC swap on the left side (IMO AC is better suited for strong side end than Taylor ever was). More than likely though, as Paintrain has said, JT is out of DC next year and we are down to AC and Evans... unless Blache sees serious potential in Jackson or Wilson we need to go get a legit end. It's times like these I wish we could "develop" diamonds in the rough to address needs instead of constantly needing to draft/sign yet another question mark.

We do need to make sure there is some type of improvement in our D-Line, so we need to make sure we have a player who is ready to play and contribute to the defensive line (in my opinion that would be Bernard the DT from Seattle). No offense but I'm tired of people who blurt out "let's build through the draft" (although you did add the whole part about free agency Goat, so I'm not talking about you in particular) and don't realize that building through the draft means drafting a kid that MAY contribute immediately, but will most likely take two or three years to really contribute. That's what happened last year when we drafted Davis, Kelly, and Thomas...we built through the draft.

Both Haynesworth and Peppers may command a lot of money, if I had to pick one out of those two, it would be Peppers. In my opinion though, I would go after Gross (as I've said it a million times), and draft a DE to develop. I think the teams needs to find out what will happen to Jason Taylor (retirement, restructure, or release from the team) before they would even think about going after Peppers though. I really hope they go after Gross instead.

We do need to make sure there is some type of improvement in our D-Line, so we need to make sure we have a player who is ready to play and contribute to the defensive line (in my opinion that would be Bernard the DT from Seattle). No offense but I'm tired of people who blurt out "let's build through the draft" (although you did add the whole part about free agency Goat, so I'm not talking about you in particular) and don't realize that building through the draft means drafting a kid that MAY contribute immediately, but will most likely take two or three years to really contribute. That's what happened last year when we drafted Davis, Kelly, and Thomas...we built through the draft.

Both Haynesworth and Peppers may command a lot of money, if I had to pick one out of those two, it would be Peppers. In my opinion though, I would go after Gross (as I've said it a million times), and draft a DE to develop. I think the teams needs to find out what will happen to Jason Taylor (retirement, restructure, or release from the team) before they would even think about going after Peppers though. I really hope they go after Gross instead.

Why would you sign a 29 yr old Peppers? He's a talented guy but DE is not a big of a need as DT. If you look at the good defenses in the playoffs they have at least one stud at DT (Docket AZ, Brunkly, Laws in Philly, Ngata in B-More). If you get a 26 yr old Haynesworth who made 2 pro bowls you have to at least go after him. Some of you guys are saying he has character issues over an incident in 06 for stomping on a guy, Come on, players have done far worse, and this was a one time offense. I remember we had ST do some things that made us scratch our head but he grew up and learned from his mistakes and became our best defensive player since D Green. I would have no problem breaking the bank for a 26 yr Haynesworth in his prime.

We do need to make sure there is some type of improvement in our D-Line, so we need to make sure we have a player who is ready to play and contribute to the defensive line (in my opinion that would be Bernard the DT from Seattle). No offense but I'm tired of people who blurt out "let's build through the draft" (although you did add the whole part about free agency Goat, so I'm not talking about you in particular) and don't realize that building through the draft means drafting a kid that MAY contribute immediately, but will most likely take two or three years to really contribute. That's what happened last year when we drafted Davis, Kelly, and Thomas...we built through the draft.

Both Haynesworth and Peppers may command a lot of money, if I had to pick one out of those two, it would be Peppers. In my opinion though, I would go after Gross (as I've said it a million times), and draft a DE to develop. I think the teams needs to find out what will happen to Jason Taylor (retirement, restructure, or release from the team) before they would even think about going after Peppers though. I really hope they go after Gross instead.

I keep hearing that the '09 draft is chalk full of talented DT prospects (i wouldn't know cause honestly, and I know i'm in the minority here, college ball bores the hell out of me) but haven't heard much on DE draft prospects. Any insight there? I'm just thinking that if Griff is booted we have to get a stud in there pronto, but even if he gets another year in DC it's probably time to develop a stud anyway. Soooo... basically we need to address DE (if JT goes) and DT no matter what? Oh yeah, OLB too. Ooh, don't forget about CB if JLC is right about Los getting the boot. Oh wait, we still have an offense to deal with, damn!

Why would you sign a 29 yr old Peppers? He's a talented guy but DE is not a big of a need as DT. If you look at the good defenses in the playoffs they have at least one stud at DT (Docket AZ, Brunkly, Laws in Philly, Ngata in B-More). If you get a 26 yr old Haynesworth who made 2 pro bowls you have to at least go after him. Some of you guys are saying he has character issues over an incident in 06 for stomping on a guy, Come on, players have done far worse, and this was a one time offense. I remember we had ST do some things that made us scratch our head but he grew up and learned from his mistakes and became our best defensive player since D Green. I would have no problem breaking the bank for a 26 yr Haynesworth in his prime.

I looked at Haynesworth stats and he has been pretty inconsistent, whereas Peppers (save for last year) he has had consistently good years. I would not mind Haynesworth, I just feel that he has the potential to be a bust.