Just a hunch: Cards make a run at Peppers

[Lomax to Green 84]

Maybe its the black coffee and bad oatmeal I am eating right now, but I have a feeling in the pit of my stomach that the Cards may be hiding their intentions regarding free agency. The pattern in free agency the last few years under Whisenhunt and Graves has been to go after mid range free agents and do awesome work in the draft. More than likely that happens again, but here is why I see the Cards changing that philosophy this offseason and making a run at Julius Peppers.

Certain things have to happen obviously because of the new rules with the Cards being one of the final 8 teams. I think this all hinges on how much interest Karlos Dansby gets early in free agency. Dansby has made it clear that he wants huge money, but he also wants to be a known guy who makes a splash. I read that as he wants to be a guy people talk about during this free agency period, and what better way to do that then to sign a mega deal within minutes after the free agency period starts. It's the guys who sign the huge deals and also the guys who sign them right away that everyone talks about. If Dansby bites early on a monster deal, the Cards then have an opportunity to get into the Peppers sweepstakes. A creative contract and the lure of playing a hybrid 3-4 defensive end/linebacker and being the guy to get us to the promised land may entice a guy like Peppers.

The Cards are in a transition period right now. What better time to look at your roster and say that we are going from a run and gun, high octane offensive team and opportunistic defensive team to a grind it out, tough balanced offensive team and a 3-4 defense that does what a Pittsburgh style 3-4 defense really does, pressure the quarterback with the outside linebackers and make those guys the hallmark of your defense.

What has to happen to make this a remote reality:

1. Trade Boldin and recover a draft pick (saves money)

2. Let Rolle walk and either draft a safety, sign a veteran, or go with Ware or Johnson with the idea that a better pass rush allows for better secondary play (also saves money)

3. Hope that Dansby signs a huge, huge contract and early in the process.

4. Give Dockett his extension. Last thing we want is to have a new guy (Peppers) making a ton more than our best defensive player.

5. Promise Peppers that he will be given every chance to be an outside linebacker. Apparently that is what he wants a chance to do (big risk with the investment, but a chance at a big dividend).

 

[DoTheDew]

I'd rather get Porter for a much cheaper deal personally. There are just too many variables with giving Peppers a big fat long term deal.

 

[Evil Ash]

No chance. He'll go where the biggest payday is and it won't be here (Washington and NE are likely candidates).

I think that Porter is all but a done deal at this point and I don't think we're going to spend a ton of money on the OLB position. We have tons of needs on defense so it will be spread out to other positions as well.

We don't sign big name FAs.

 

[Reddog]

I'd rather get Porter for a much cheaper deal personally. There are just too many variables with giving Peppers a big fat long term deal.

Porter and Foote for that money. No way we would do that for Peppers. I would rather give that cash to Darnell.

 

[Cardiac]

Blame it on the oatmeal because I must also say it won't happen.

I would love if it did occur because in Whis we trust. I also agree that Nine Oh would need his deal redone for the very reason you stated.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

No chance. He'll go where the biggest payday is and it won't be here (Washington and NE are likely candidates).

This. With teams like Washington out there that throw crazy money at players there is no chance we get him.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Cards M.O. already points to there being ZERO chance of that happening, for he will be signed within the first 2 days of FA. Its way too much money to spend without being sure how successful he can be in a 3-4 anyway.

 

[Shane]

First off this will never happen.

Secondly we don't need to wait till Dansby signs somewhere to be able to sign that one big FA. Why do people keep saying that?

 

[Hypothesis]

First off this will never happen.

Secondly we don't need to wait till Dansby signs somewhere to be able to sign that one big FA. Why do people keep saying that?

It would likely require more than the 5.5 mil in the first year in order to lure someone like Peppers. Dansby signs elsewhere for 7-9 mil in his first year, then we can sign a FA for an equal amount. I think that's what he's getting at, as I don't see J-Pep signing anywhere for a measly 5.5 mil/year.

 

[Shane]

It would likely require more than the 5.5 mil in the first year in order to lure someone like Peppers. Dansby signs elsewhere for 7-9 mil in his first year, then we can sign a FA for an equal amount. I think that's what he's getting at, as I don't see J-Pep signing anywhere for a measly 5.5 mil/year.

The stipulation is that the 1st year salary must be more than 5.5 not less. So yes we can.

 

[MoeIsBetter]

The stipulation is that the 1st year salary must be more than 5.5 not less. So yes we can.

Shanes right. It's been said like a million times here in the last 2 months lol. So essentially we have one salary we HAVE to spend more than 5.5 mill on and one salary that's maxed out at what Dansby gets. And I'm fairly certain that Peppers will get more than Karlos so really even Karlos Dansby's free agent ticket we get won't sign Peppers.

 

[imaCafan]

Panthers | Made last-ditch effort to sign Peppers long-term
Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:19:43 -0800

Pat Yasinskas, of ESPN.com, reports the Carolina Panthers made one final attempt sometime in the past few weeks to sign impending free-agent DL Julius Peppers to a long-term contract. According to several sources, the Panthers made a last-ditch offer to their defensive end sometime shortly before they announced they would let him walk into unrestricted free agency. The offer was for somewhere close to $14 million a year, the sources said. However, Peppers declined and the Panthers promptly turned around and said they would not franchise him and would let him become a free agent.

 

[football karma]

just a hunch: Megan Fox will make a run at me


equally likely

 

[Cardiac]

just a hunch: Megan Fox will make a run at me


equally likely

 

[187]

I'm pretty confident we have a 0% chance of signing Peppers. Way too much money for a 30yo DE that has never played OLB before. As it's been said that money would be much better spent on Foote and Porter.

Panthers | Made last-ditch effort to sign Peppers long-term
Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:19:43 -0800

Pat Yasinskas, of ESPN.com, reports the Carolina Panthers made one final attempt sometime in the past few weeks to sign impending free-agent DL Julius Peppers to a long-term contract. According to several sources, the Panthers made a last-ditch offer to their defensive end sometime shortly before they announced they would let him walk into unrestricted free agency. The offer was for somewhere close to $14 million a year, the sources said. However, Peppers declined and the Panthers promptly turned around and said they would not franchise him and would let him become a free agent.

Peppers doesn't want to play for Carolina, he knows someone else will give him that much money or more in FA.