When Julius Peppers made it known that he wanted to leave the team a week after the Carolina's loss to the Arizona Cardinals, everyone knew that the Panthers were not going to give up without a fight. What most people didn't realize, me included, how much that "fight" was going to cost. Since the franchise tag was placed on Peppers, the Panthers are required to pay him $16.7 million, all of which goes against the 2009 cap. With Jake Delhomme, Jordan Gross, Steve Smith, and now Peppers taking up much of the cap space and leaving the Panthers with almost no room to work with.
Because of the very, very, limited cap space the Panthers have had to watch a number of free agents walk out the door: Mark Jones, Geoff Hangartener, and Adam Seward. Really, this in itself is not that big of a deal seeing as all of these guys were simply backups, albeit solid backups, the problem is the Panthers may be letting them go all for nothing if they decide to trade Peppers after all, and trade him they should.
It is clear Peppers has absolutely no desire to play for the Panthers next season, which makes a holdout by the pro-bowl defensive end a strong possibility. I completely understand trying to keep a high caliber player like Peppers, but if he has no intentions of signing with the team long term why force it? Get at least a lower end, first round pick for him, or maybe a second and a third, and go about the business of reworking the entire defensive line, which, let's face it, hasn't been dominant since 2005. I'm not saying the Panthers are going to be able to replace Peppers in the draft, but they should at least be able to fill a couple holes on that defensive line.
I have to point out though, that the Bears were facing a similar situation with linebacker Lance Briggs a few years ago. Briggs was franchised, threatened a holdout if he wasn't traded, eventually played for the Bears the next season and signed a contract with them the following year. I don't think this situation will end up like that one, but maybe John Fox and Marty Hurney think that Peppers will change his mind- don't forget Peppers will be working under a new defensive system which could suit his "talents" better.
As much as I would love to see Peppers stay a Panther, I think the cost of him staying is just too steep: a holdout risk, absolutely no room to go out and sign free agents, and locker room instability. Trade him, get a couple picks for him, retool the defensive line, and move on.
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