Julius Peppers (1 Viewer)

[T Bell]

Peppers speaks: Panthers DE stronger, fitterSPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) -After his worst season as a pro, Julius Peppers enters the final year of his contract with the Carolina Panthers feeling stronger, fitter and more comfortable after his move to right defensive end.But as negotiations continue on a new contract, Peppers is making no promises he’ll be a Panther long-term.Sporting a longer, thicker beard, Peppers spoke to reporters after practice Thursday in his first interview in more than seven months. After failing to make the Pro Bowl for the first time in four years following a miserable 2 1/2-sack season in 2007, Peppers said he spent the offseason reflecting and working.‘‘It’s not a secret that it was disappointing, not only statswise, but even to my personal standards,’’ Peppers said. ‘‘I did some evaluating and I think I made the necessary adjustments as far as conditioning and getting myself ready to come back this year and make improvements.’’While Peppers’ said he’s been ‘‘pleased’’ with contract negotiations between the team and his agent, Carl Carey, no agreement has been reached. Peppers will count more than $12 million against the salary cap this season, and the second overall pick in the 2002 draft refused to say if he wants to end his career with Carolina.‘‘What I learned over these last six years that I’ve been here is that, year to year, it’s unpredictable what happens with players and contracts and those type of things,’’ Peppers said. ‘‘I’m worried about playing football right now. I’m not even really looking forward to next season or what’s going to happen after that. We’ve got to get focused on making it happen right now.’’The Panthers hope Peppers will thrive thanks to the position change. Following the retirement of Mike Rucker, Peppers moved from left defensive end to the right side. The left-handed Peppers, a freakish athlete, believes that’s his more natural position.‘‘I’m comfortable on the right side,’’ Peppers said. ‘‘I played it in college. I played it in high school, the times I did play defense in high school. The left-handed stance is my natural stance. The left hand is my strong hand. There are a lot more moves and power available on that side.’’Peppers has drawn raves for his play early in training camp. He’s shown his trademark quickness, consistently beating offensive tackles in one-on-one drills. He batted down Jake Delhomme’s screen pass at the line of scrimmage during Thursday’s workout.‘‘He’s better than I’ve ever seen him,’’ tackle Jordan Gross said. ‘‘Barring anything unknown, there’s no reason he won’t go out and set records, I think.’’Peppers set nothing but dubious marks last year.After missing a part of training camp with an undisclosed illness, Peppers appeared sluggish most of last season. While he insisted he was fine physically, the 6-foot-7, 283-pound end no longer commanded double teams. He rarely got into the backfield, and went without a sack in 12 of 14 games before he sat out the last two weeks with a sore knee.Peppers finished with the fewest sacks and quarterback hurries (19) of his career and second-fewest tackles (55).‘‘I was only sick for two weeks. I will say during that time I lost weight, a little bit of strength and probably some explosiveness and things like that,’’ Peppers said. ‘‘But during the season I wasn’t sick at all.’’Peppers’ poor 2007 fueled him during offseason workouts in Arizona.‘‘I feel a little stronger. I feel more powerful, faster, a little bigger,’’ Peppers said. ‘‘I’ve got a little more weight. I’m pleased with what I did this offseason.’’Peppers hopes that leads to a season like 2006, when he had a career-high 13 sacks, or 2004, when he had 85 tackles and 11 sacks.What happens after 2008 is uncertain. Peppers declined to say if contract negotiations would continue into the regular season - and where he thinks he’ll be next year.‘‘Right now I’m focused on playing football this season,’’ Peppers said. ‘‘I have a contract to play football right now. After this season, it’s a different story.’’

 

[Jene Bramel]

There's been rumors around the Panthers' boards that the illness may have been mono, which shouldn't be anything that would affect him a season later. I've been impressed enough by what the Panther OTs are saying that I bumped Peppers up my board a few slots this week. I'm still leery of his boom-bust weekly issues, but there's not another DL in the league who can make as much out of a contract year.

 

[T Bell]

There's been rumors around the Panthers' boards that the illness may have been mono, which shouldn't be anything that would affect him a season later. I've been impressed enough by what the Panther OTs are saying that I bumped Peppers up my board a few slots this week. I'm still leery of his boom-bust weekly issues, but there's not another DL in the league who can make as much out of a contract year.

DE's are a lot like TE's in that you get a lot of fluctuation week to week with all but the top 2 or 3 guys. Unlike TE's, however, predicting in a given year exactly who those top guys are is more a matter of luck. You just have to embrace the volatility of the position and accept the fact that a guy like Peppers may only give you 2 tackles one week, but another week he'll give you 7 tackles and 2 sacks or something. It's all about upside, and few have his upside.

 

[Jene Bramel]

There's been rumors around the Panthers' boards that the illness may have been mono, which shouldn't be anything that would affect him a season later. I've been impressed enough by what the Panther OTs are saying that I bumped Peppers up my board a few slots this week. I'm still leery of his boom-bust weekly issues, but there's not another DL in the league who can make as much out of a contract year.

DE's are a lot like TE's in that you get a lot of fluctuation week to week with all but the top 2 or 3 guys. Unlike TE's, however, predicting in a given year exactly who those top guys are is more a matter of luck. You just have to embrace the volatility of the position and accept the fact that a guy like Peppers may only give you 2 tackles one week, but another week he'll give you 7 tackles and 2 sacks or something. It's all about upside, and few have his upside.

This is true. It's just my contention that Peppers has more volatility than many of the other guys who've finished among the top 12 over the past three seasons (even excluding Allen and Kampman, which may or may not be fair, in favor of Cole, VDB, Kerney, Carter, Taylor, Strahan, Schobel). Between his rookie season and 2006, 33% of Peppers' games were below five points in FBG scoring. That number went up to nearly 38% in 2005 and 2006. There are plenty of big games in there as well (19% over 15 FBG points before 2007 and 22% in 2005 and 2006), but it's all about your risk tolerance and roster/lineup makeup, etc.

At some point, volatility is acceptable. At others, the price you pay in-between those monster weeks pushes a pretty harsh limit.

 

[T Bell]

There's been rumors around the Panthers' boards that the illness may have been mono, which shouldn't be anything that would affect him a season later. I've been impressed enough by what the Panther OTs are saying that I bumped Peppers up my board a few slots this week. I'm still leery of his boom-bust weekly issues, but there's not another DL in the league who can make as much out of a contract year.

DE's are a lot like TE's in that you get a lot of fluctuation week to week with all but the top 2 or 3 guys. Unlike TE's, however, predicting in a given year exactly who those top guys are is more a matter of luck. You just have to embrace the volatility of the position and accept the fact that a guy like Peppers may only give you 2 tackles one week, but another week he'll give you 7 tackles and 2 sacks or something. It's all about upside, and few have his upside.

This is true. It's just my contention that Peppers has more volatility than many of the other guys who've finished among the top 12 over the past three seasons (even excluding Allen and Kampman, which may or may not be fair, in favor of Cole, VDB, Kerney, Carter, Taylor, Strahan, Schobel). Between his rookie season and 2006, 33% of Peppers' games were below five points in FBG scoring. That number went up to nearly 38% in 2005 and 2006. There are plenty of big games in there as well (19% over 15 FBG points before 2007 and 22% in 2005 and 2006), but it's all about your risk tolerance and roster/lineup makeup, etc.

At some point, volatility is acceptable. At others, the price you pay in-between those monster weeks pushes a pretty harsh limit.

Do you have similar numbers for those other guys you mentioned? What's "typical" for top-10 DE's?

 

[Jene Bramel]

There's been rumors around the Panthers' boards that the illness may have been mono, which shouldn't be anything that would affect him a season later. I've been impressed enough by what the Panther OTs are saying that I bumped Peppers up my board a few slots this week. I'm still leery of his boom-bust weekly issues, but there's not another DL in the league who can make as much out of a contract year.

DE's are a lot like TE's in that you get a lot of fluctuation week to week with all but the top 2 or 3 guys. Unlike TE's, however, predicting in a given year exactly who those top guys are is more a matter of luck. You just have to embrace the volatility of the position and accept the fact that a guy like Peppers may only give you 2 tackles one week, but another week he'll give you 7 tackles and 2 sacks or something. It's all about upside, and few have his upside.

This is true. It's just my contention that Peppers has more volatility than many of the other guys who've finished among the top 12 over the past three seasons (even excluding Allen and Kampman, which may or may not be fair, in favor of Cole, VDB, Kerney, Carter, Taylor, Strahan, Schobel). Between his rookie season and 2006, 33% of Peppers' games were below five points in FBG scoring. That number went up to nearly 38% in 2005 and 2006. There are plenty of big games in there as well (19% over 15 FBG points before 2007 and 22% in 2005 and 2006), but it's all about your risk tolerance and roster/lineup makeup, etc.

At some point, volatility is acceptable. At others, the price you pay in-between those monster weeks pushes a pretty harsh limit.

Do you have similar numbers for those other guys you mentioned? What's "typical" for top-10 DE's?

Oops, deleted the sentence that said I didn't have time for a full study right now. I'll try to get to this sometime soon. My hypothesis would be that the others would have fewer bad games and fewer blowup games, but that the profiles would be better, i.e. 10% bad games, 17% blowup games or something similar. At first glance, however, that hypothesis would appear to be wrong. Cole and VDB have splits pretty similar to Peppers.

 

[T Bell]

STOCK UP

You want to spread the sunshine around, but sometimes DE Julius Peppers just does things you can't believe.

During a three-snap stretch in practice, he stuffed Muhammad for what would have been at least a 10-yard loss on an attempted reverse, then after a play, came back with one even more impressive. He bull-rushed LT Jordan Gross back into QB Jake Delhomme for what would have been a sack, but when the play continued, he faded back, and went high in the air to bat down Delhomme's pass one-handed, before coming to the sidelines laughing.

We keep saying it, but he's having an incredible camp, and looks again like the capable-of-anything guy he's been before.

LinkI know these are fluffy camp pieces, but might there be an opportunity to buy low here from owners not paying attention and who are hung up on Peppers' disappointing 2007 season?

 

[Anthony Borbely]

STOCK UP

You want to spread the sunshine around, but sometimes DE Julius Peppers just does things you can't believe.

During a three-snap stretch in practice, he stuffed Muhammad for what would have been at least a 10-yard loss on an attempted reverse, then after a play, came back with one even more impressive. He bull-rushed LT Jordan Gross back into QB Jake Delhomme for what would have been a sack, but when the play continued, he faded back, and went high in the air to bat down Delhomme's pass one-handed, before coming to the sidelines laughing.

We keep saying it, but he's having an incredible camp, and looks again like the capable-of-anything guy he's been before.

LinkI know these are fluffy camp pieces, but might there be an opportunity to buy low here from owners not paying attention and who are hung up on Peppers' disappointing 2007 season?

His upside is huge, so I'd say he is definitely a good buy low.

 

[Jbl1967]

So if i have a chance to trade for Mario Williams go for it?

STOCK UP

You want to spread the sunshine around, but sometimes DE Julius Peppers just does things you can't believe.

During a three-snap stretch in practice, he stuffed Muhammad for what would have been at least a 10-yard loss on an attempted reverse, then after a play, came back with one even more impressive. He bull-rushed LT Jordan Gross back into QB Jake Delhomme for what would have been a sack, but when the play continued, he faded back, and went high in the air to bat down Delhomme's pass one-handed, before coming to the sidelines laughing.

We keep saying it, but he's having an incredible camp, and looks again like the capable-of-anything guy he's been before.

LinkI know these are fluffy camp pieces, but might there be an opportunity to buy low here from owners not paying attention and who are hung up on Peppers' disappointing 2007 season?

His upside is huge, so I'd say he is definitely a good buy low.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

So if i have a chance to trade for Mario Williams go for it?

This is a Julius Peppers discussion thread.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

Definitely high on J Peppers this year. No question.

He strikes me as someone with something to prove this year, and I love riding motivated players.

 

[T Bell]

STOCK UP

You want to spread the sunshine around, but sometimes DE Julius Peppers just does things you can't believe.

During a three-snap stretch in practice, he stuffed Muhammad for what would have been at least a 10-yard loss on an attempted reverse, then after a play, came back with one even more impressive. He bull-rushed LT Jordan Gross back into QB Jake Delhomme for what would have been a sack, but when the play continued, he faded back, and went high in the air to bat down Delhomme's pass one-handed, before coming to the sidelines laughing.

We keep saying it, but he's having an incredible camp, and looks again like the capable-of-anything guy he's been before.

LinkI know these are fluffy camp pieces, but might there be an opportunity to buy low here from owners not paying attention and who are hung up on Peppers' disappointing 2007 season?

His upside is huge, so I'd say he is definitely a good buy low.

Send me an offer in Red Dog then.

 

[T Bell]

From the Indy-Carolina game thread:

Julius Peppers just roared in for a sack

Peppers is abusing Ugoh, he must be playing for a new contract or something

Cat attack on Sorgi. Another sack by Peppers and Company.

 

[topjimmy]

I am not sure who underachieved more, Peppers or Troy Polamalu

 

[MAC_32]

Well, his performance against Indy certainly validated the favorable camp reports I had been reading.

 

[Rozelle]

Well, his performance against Indy certainly validated the favorable camp reports I had been reading.

Yep ... if his performance vs Indy is any indication, Peppers is in for a big year. He looked very good!

 

[T Bell]

In honor of Peppers dismantling Chris Samuels last night, I created this.

 

[Markus P Dub]

Well I got him in my draft this year. Rolled with him last year and got rid of him after week 4. Hoping for a huge year and so far it looks promising.

 

[T Bell]

Well I got him in my draft this year. Rolled with him last year and got rid of him after week 4. Hoping for a huge year and so far it looks promising.

I'm starting to believe that Strahan's sack record is in jeopardy, which would be fantasy gold. Peppers is healthy and playing on another level - he's scary good.

 

[Interception Irwin]

I wanted Peppers bad this year. Unfortunately, I misjudged how the draft would play out and he did not make it to me when I expected. It makes me sick that I didn't get him this year as I expect he will put up monster numbers.

I ended up with Trent Cole as my primary DL and Terell Suggs as my backup. Hopefully these guys will do okay. Really regret not getting Peppers, though.

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

I know last year Peppers was playing injured.

I am waiting patiently on a guy who I view as a top fantasy DE. But anyone else a little concerned over Peppers play over the last year and 2 games?

 

[T Bell]

I know last year Peppers was playing injured. I am waiting patiently on a guy who I view as a top fantasy DE. But anyone else a little concerned over Peppers play over the last year and 2 games?

I'm concerned, but not with him. He gets no help on that line, so he's doubled on every play. I think he's going to be feast or famine all year. But he's playing for a contract and he looked superhuman during the preseason, so I hold out hope.

 

[T Bell]

We had a Peppers sighting, finally. 3 tackles and a sack. Not bad, I want more, but not bad.