Julius Peppers will be no more Panthers DE?

According the Julius Peppers’ agent, Carl Carey, the Carolina Panthers may lose Peppers for the 2010 season because of their silent treatment to one of the best defensive ends. To be an unrestricted free agent soon, Peppers will enter the free agent market looking for a better team for him.

Carey said he talked with Panthers team officials on the day of the regular-season finale against New Orleans on Jan. 3, then initiated contact with the team shortly thereafter. Being told that they would make contact the following week, however, Carey and Peppers have not heard from the Panthers since.

Carey acknowledged that the situation is a bit complex between the Panthers and Peppers. The Panthers used the restrictive franchise tag and paid Peppers an NFL-high $18.2 million, counting a $1.5 million bonus for making the Pro Bowl after he recorded 10 1/2 sacks. If they use the tag again next season, they will have to pay him about $20.1 million, plus another $1.5 million for the Pro Bowl and $250,000 for each playoff win. And signing a long-term contract will mean that they have to pay the 30-year-old player up to $15 million a year. Even if Peppers has spent his entire eight-year career with the Panthers and have the third most sacks in NFL during the span, the Panthers just have to reconsider about the deal. Carey understands that but just thinks it unacceptable for the Panthers to give them silent treatment.

With tremendous speed and agility for his size, Peppers was always disruptive on field. Actually he was so disruptive while playing against the Minnesota Vikings in a December game that Vikings Coach Brad Childress wanted to take out Brett Favre to avoid injury. Furthermore, he is not picky with what defense he plays in. According to Carey, Peppers is willing to play in any type of defense next season. So I guess Peppers would put on a new team’s NFL jersey soon once the Panthers let him go.