Julius Peppers could be answer to Falcons’ problems
Matt Ryan probably wouldn't mind having Julius Peppers as a teammate. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
From an NFL fan’s perspective, there is one great thing about an uncapped year. Your favorite team can’t use the excuse, “We’d love to sign that free agent but we just can’t fit him under the salary cap.”
So to the members of Falcon nation, I present to you possibly the first name on the Falcons’ offseason shopping list: Julius Peppers.
Yes, it could happen — at least the part about Peppers’ availability. There are strong indications that the Carolina Panthers — who failed to come to terms with Peppers on a multi-year contract last season and were forced to sign him to the steep one-year franchise tag fee of $16.683 million — will allow Peppers to enter free agency.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter already is speculating that, “Carolina’s division rival Atlanta Falcons would be a logical landing spot, as Peppers would get to play the Panthers twice a season.”
Let’s examine all of the obvious reasons why the Falcons’ pursuit of Peppers makes sense.
♦ 1. While Peppers would be a significant investment — and there’s really no way to predict what he would fetch on the open market –he would be a huge boost to the Falcons’ anemic pass rush. The perennial Pro Bowl defensive end has 25 sacks over the last two years alone. This season, he recorded five forced fumbles, five passes defensed and two interceptions with 10 1/2 sacks.
♦ 2. The Falcons had to be concerned about John Abraham’s lack of production this season. He dropped from 16.5 sacks in 2008 to 5.5 in 2009. While some of that can be attributed to other problems on the line, including an injury to rookie Peria Jerry, there were several games when Abraham seemed invisible. The Falcons need to do something to create more pressure. For what it’s worth, Abraham has two years left on a six-year, $45 million contract.
♦ 3. The signing of an impact defensive lineman would allow the Falcons to focus on other areas early in the draft, including outside linebacker and cornerback.
♦ 4. Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff has made significant veteran acquisitions prior to each of his first two seasons: running back Michael Turner two years ago and tight end Tony Gonzalez this season. It might be time for a big move on defense this time.
♦ 5. Falcons owner Arthur Blank never has shied away from spending money on his football team. If Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith believe Peppers will take the Falcons to the next level, he’ll support the move financially.
Question: Are you feeling how the signing of Peppers could impact the Falcons as much as I am?
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281 comments Add your comment
Harry
February 1st, 2010
3:23 pm
I think TD will not sign Peppers….bcoz
1. He believes building this team through Draft
2. He never like to Overpay a guy..(Peppers is expecting a big pay)
3. If he has any doubts on peppers about his inconsistency or Motivation factor…hemight take a pass on him
Personally…i think we should not sign and draft DE and OLB through draft. If we have to sign a Veteran on the defensive side of the ball…I would say a CB is a better option.
Just my 2 Cents
JabboRockefeller
February 1st, 2010
3:24 pm
Jim Marshall played DE till he was 40…
Kane337
February 1st, 2010
3:30 pm
No, too much money. Also, I has been stated that Peppers wants to play in a 3-4 defense. The Falcons operate in a 4-3 so I don’t think he would come here anyway.
waw
February 1st, 2010
3:34 pm
For all the respect Peppers deserves as a player, I do not see him as the type of team leader the Falcons value. Very surprised if TD goes after him.
Peter
February 1st, 2010
3:40 pm
Reminds me of the Movie…….. “No League for Old Men” !
BillyBobThornton
February 1st, 2010
3:47 pm
The Falcons need Julius Peppers as much as they need Julius Cesaer to help them. What the Falcons need to do is START MAKING BETTER PERSONNEL DECISIONS with the people that they already have AND STOP CUTTING PRO BOWL PLAYERS.
YouCanRunButYouCannotHide
February 1st, 2010
3:51 pm
All I know is Abraham and Peppers as bookend DEs would be sick. Gonzalez ain’t going to be around forever (possibly only one more year) so let’s throw the kitchen sink at a Super Bowl run in 2010. Can the Falcons really find a DE in the draft that’ll give the production of Peppers? Washed up and over the hill? Doesn’t he have 25 sacks the past 2 seasons? Really, 30 isn’t old like it used to be people.
Look, the injured Falcons played the Saints tough and beat the Jets on the road with NY playing for a playoff birth. When healthy, the Falcons offense is good but it didn’t matter against the elite teams because our defense has been so weak. A Abraham-Peppers combo will allow the Falcons to rush 4 and take away the pass until we can find some reliable DBs.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
February 1st, 2010
4:07 pm
JULIUS PEPPERS THE ANSWER TO FALCONS WOES?
- Will he help with the 14 PICKS in 13 games?
- Will he help with the POOR redzone scoring?
- Will he be effective with a weak secondary?
The bottom line – do the Falcons even have enough money to attract a guy that just earned 16 – million dollars in 2009?
Sports Watcher
February 1st, 2010
4:08 pm
Vick could be traded before NFL draft…
http://digitalsportsdaily.com/nfl/20377
Matt "Choke" Ryan
February 1st, 2010
4:10 pm
This is year 3 of the Dimtroff/Smith/CHOKE era………….
If they don’t get a playoff win in 2010 there will be some MAJOR changes in 2011, especially since Baltimore & New York Jets rookie coach and quarterbacks have a combined 5 playoff wins.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
February 1st, 2010
4:19 pm
NOLA
February 1st, 2010
12:02 pm
He ain’t coming to play for the ‘cons. ‘cons are still celebrating their back to back winning seasons. julius wants to play for a real contender like the saints.
“PREACH ON NOLA”
You are absolutely right. Why would he want to go to a team that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2004 when he can get more money playing for a contender
Big Bob Wasklater
February 1st, 2010
4:20 pm
I say continue the youth movement. While I agree you must have some veteran players on the staff to keep the kiddo’s in line, the youth movement has paid some serious dividends. Draft strong on defense and fill the gap with some lower salary guys. Dropping Millions on a guy with alot of age and mileage is not good Football sense.
Freakinfalcons
February 1st, 2010
4:28 pm
There is no doubt that peppers can play when he wants to, but with his age and history taken in consideration is he worth the gamble? Hell yes! there are other possibilities like Richard Seymor ,Kyle Vanden bosch,Jason Taylor,Aaron Kampman, Jarvis Green.All of these guys are quality free agents that would provide immediate help.What TD will do is figure out who will produce the Biggest bang for for the for their buck.Bottom line ” WE NEED PLAYMAKERS ON THE DEFENSIVE SIDE OF THE BALL”.
Dialtone
February 1st, 2010
4:36 pm
May be a good move, but being a lifelong Falcons fan since about 1970, I understand that sometimes bringing a stud to Atlanta can inexplicably mean his productivity takes a dramatic hit.
Bring him! Let’s see what happens.
Peppers on one side, Abraham on the other….could be fun.
Matt
February 1st, 2010
4:47 pm
You’re nuts if you think the Panthers will allow Pep to walk away much less to a division rival. He is better then anyone on the Falcons D right now and has been for years. He has avg 10 sacks per year since coming into the league. Thats with his 2 sack year a couple years ago. And people say he’s over the hill or overrated. Name 1 Falcon who could hold his jock strap?
gringo honeymoon
February 1st, 2010
4:48 pm
dudes lazy. TD can do MUCH better w/ the coin available
Out
Matt
February 1st, 2010
4:49 pm
You need ot focus on that crappy secondary before adding a DE. I think I could have thrown for 300 yds against those bums.
rich mckay
February 1st, 2010
4:51 pm
Dont worry Jeff, the boys up here in Flowery Branch are gonna get done. If we promised Vick we’d pay him enough to leave in a wooden box, then we’ll pay Peppers. 2010 will be a beautiful thing after this deal!
Freakinfalcons
February 1st, 2010
4:51 pm
Abraham on one side Peppers on the other and Babs/jerry in the middle. It would be awfully tough to block them all ! We already have built in depth with Davis, Beirmann and Sidbury that will be very eager to prove their worth next season.
ahrasheed
February 1st, 2010
4:55 pm
Sign Julius Peppers. Yes he is an older player but, he will bring a swagger to the defense. He would also make Jahn Abraham a better player,because there was no pass rush from the opposite defensive end spot. That simply means, that John was doubled teamed in blocking assignments.
Jeryl McDowell
February 1st, 2010
5:03 pm
go for it. it will take our defense to the ultimate level
Freakinfalcons
February 1st, 2010
5:03 pm
At Julius Peppers Worst he is still better than Jamal Anderson……
Mark
February 1st, 2010
5:06 pm
I understand Peppers wants to leave the Panthers, but is Atlanta far enough away. Has there been any speculation that Peppers wants out of the NFC South altogether?
Freakinfalcons
February 1st, 2010
5:09 pm
He wants a long term BIG DOLLAR contract from a team. He is one of the best out there(Pay the Man ! )
dub366
February 1st, 2010
5:25 pm
excuse me , did he make the pro bowl.
so what r they waiting on sign him
Matt "Choke" Ryan
February 1st, 2010
5:28 pm
According to NFL Live (Hall of Fame Analysts)
ALL of you Losers are nuts!
They have Peppers projected to exceed the Albert Haynesworth 41-million guaranteed contract.
If the CHOKE gets a pay cut, maybe they can afford him
VickSwitchHitter
February 1st, 2010
5:30 pm
I read somewhere where someone mentioned if we signed Peppers we would have Bookends Peppers and Abraham; true yes an awesome rather lethal combination. Does anyone remember when we had bookends pro bowlers Ron Coleman and John Abraham? We led the league in sacks and a certain General Manager (Ditroff) busted that up for no reason whatsover. Now we have to break the bank to put back what we already had. It makes no sense to me. Coleman was about 10 years younger than Peppers and would have allowed us to become a dynasty for many years to come. In a whirlwind, almost april fools type training camp, we cut Pro Bowlers Alge Crumpler and pro bowler Ron Coleman for absolutely no reason whatsoever. This is what keeps franchises horrible for decades when you have pro bowlers already performing at the highest level of the nfl and somebody comes in and cuts the legs out from under them for no apparent reason. No reason was given. I could understand Alge Crumpler getting cut because his attutude had gone south. He was giving about 10% effort and was holding back about 90% effort and that could not be tolerated. But Coleman was an awesome pass rusher and gave the Falcons one of the most lethal ever and undoubtedly the best ever. Maybe coleman came to camp overweight and couldnt perform but we already had pro bowl bookends. No explanation was given why coleman disappeared and I suppose we will never know.
Freakinfalcons
February 1st, 2010
5:55 pm
Rod Colman was a good inside pass rusher but when Kerney Walked as a Free agent we to this day have not replaced his caliber on that side. We have tried many different ways to get a threatning pass rush from that side and have failed. They simply double protect Abrahams side and stop our pass rush. We need if not peppers , someone who demands double teams on that side to complete our defensive front.
Navigator
February 1st, 2010
5:59 pm
Of course Kearney had to go, he was from the ACC and everybody knows that unless you’re from the SEC you are no good. How about them dawgs.
Ivan
February 1st, 2010
6:09 pm
I say no to the Peppers signing. Keep building through the draft. Of course, should the Falcons management think otherwise and bring Peppers on board, I won’t complain.
BravesFanLostInOhio
February 1st, 2010
6:25 pm
I’m all for it…but no more than a 3 yr contract
Ken Strickland
February 1st, 2010
6:41 pm
TD and Smitty have said over and over and over again, they want to get young, quicker and faster, and that’s not going to happen if we sign DE JPeppers. Too many Falcon fans seem to jump at the chance to buy the sizzle and rather than the steak.
Our own DE KBiermann, a 2yr vet with just 1st yr of starting experience, had 49 total tackles, 4 for losses, and 5 sacks. You have to believe he will improve upon those totals next yr, especially his sack total. DT JBabineaux had 47 total tackles, 10 for losses, and 6 sacks. When you compare their stats to those of DE JPeppers’ 42 total tackles, 3 for losses, and 10.5 sacks, you have to realize you wouldn’t be getting a whole lot more for all that money.
5.5 more sacks and 6 fewer total tackles, over a much, much younger and far less experienced KBiermann, who’s going to improve, seems like a waste of money too me. Plus, you can never be sure Peppers will be as effective in our DEF scheme as he was in Carolina’s.
Down the stretch last season we didn’t get many sacks, but we got excellent pressure up the middle from our DT’s and flushed the QB out of the pocket, which forced bad throws. As a result, we got an unusually high number of INT’s down the stretch, and I’d much rather have INT’s than sacks. Sacks usually mean a loss of yardage and down, but INT’s always mean a change of possession.
If you have big lumbering, overweight DT’s like GJackson, who can’t effectively mount an effective pass rush, a pass rushing specialist like JPeppers is essential. In PJerry, JBabineaux, VWalker & TJohnson we have 4 DT’s that can provide a good interior pass rush. Therefore, we don’t need to spend excessive dollars to acquire a pass rushing DE like Peppers.
If we’re willing to consider spending the kind of money it will take to acquire DE JPeppers, it would make much more sense to spend that money on improving our OL, and acquiring a quality FA LT.
sidslid
February 1st, 2010
6:53 pm
It is Van Gorder’s call to some degree. If he thinks he can harness him, Blank will spend the money
Ted Shearer
February 1st, 2010
7:55 pm
I read recently that the Eagles were also looking at Peppers. The way they played against Dallas showed that they need some help. Myself, I wished that hadn’t given Reid and extension. He wants to run the team his way and has convinced Babber and Lurie that he’s right. Any comments?
cdog
February 1st, 2010
8:28 pm
i read where some people question pepper character, i don’t care if he comes in and kick people butts around him,coaches and all, as long as he brings victories to the falcons and a superbowl win.the current players can’t do that. the falcons need a player with fire in them.the current ones can’t deliver
cdog
February 1st, 2010
8:31 pm
i wish people will stop saying what’s not going to happen, there’s no future readers among you. julius peppers would instantly make the falcons superbowl bound.it will make abraham and sidbury elaevate their games.offenses will have their hands full trying to block either one of them. stop saying whats not going to happen.no one other than the falcon personnel know this.
Flo-Ri-Duh!
February 1st, 2010
8:45 pm
Peppers takes to many plays off and is out a lot with injuries – $10 million a year TOPS or let him go some where else.
WPWW
February 1st, 2010
9:07 pm
Peppers has been solid, but we don’t “need” him. We need Abraham healthy & Biermann starting (over sorry Anderson). Kroy proved he’s a dadgum stud during the season & preseason (leading the Falcons in tackles). We never should have drafted Anderson, and should trade or cut him asap.
http://www.castefootball.us
WPWW
February 1st, 2010
9:11 pm
P.S. – The Falcons never should have let Kearny & Brooking leave Atlanta. Keith showed (again) he still has it & Kearny was always underrated.
http://www.castefootball.us
FALCON FAN
February 1st, 2010
9:14 pm
PLEASE DON’T BRING PEPPERS TO THE FALCONS, WE NEED SOMEONE WHO IS YOUNG AND FAST, NOT OLD AND MENTAL!!!!!!
Falcon Fan
February 1st, 2010
9:56 pm
I hope we do it-a strong pass rush improves the entire D, and we certainly need it. This move would also force offensive cord. to spend considerable time developing blocking schemes and play calls to mitigate the pass rush which clearly benefits us. This could be a very important piece in our effort to go deep in the playoffs…
jason
February 1st, 2010
10:28 pm
he’s only 2nd in sacks in the league behind dwight freeney…. 5-time pro bowler with 26 sacks in the last two years alone… there were 4 starting DE picked for the pro-bowl this year and last year, yes julius was one of the 4 both years… “over the hill”? get real
jason
February 1st, 2010
10:30 pm
that sacks comment above is “total sacks since 2001″… not a “one-year statistic”
carolinafalcon
February 1st, 2010
10:31 pm
I live in charlotte. Panthers fans are killing peppers daily for his perceived lack of effort, taking plays off, all of that. He is someone with a full set of luggage – yes he has baggage! He disappears some games or play-to-play. y’all have seen it. Our o line handled him pretty well. We would be better off with someone with a big motor and let this guy go someplace else to be overpaid. He is not all that.
jason
February 1st, 2010
10:36 pm
i love it… we have the carolina panthers fans coming over to comment how much Peppers sucks!! haha… its like the jealous boyfriend who is in love with the girl until he gets dumped…. then he goes around telling everyone how much of a slut she was!! if you dont care for him dude, then dont follow the peppers articles around badmouthing him. you panthers wouldnt know a great player from a fly on the wall…. sign jake to 5 years!! yeah, do it!!!
NOLA
February 1st, 2010
10:59 pm
Who dat, who dat, who dat say dey gonna beat ‘em saints.
Superbowl champs in six days.
Who dat.
y’all ‘cons don’t want none of us next season, but you have no choice. chalk up two Ls against us next season.
See you at the amrdi gras.
Whoooooooooooooooooooooo Datttttttttttttttttttt
Ken Strickland
February 1st, 2010
11:04 pm
WPWW-Get your facts straight before blaming the Falcons for Kearney and Brooking leaving. The Falcons didn’t let Kearney go, he chose to become a FA early by voiding the final yr of his contract and leaving. The Falcons offered Brooking a contract, which he decided not to accept, so leaving was his decision. Besides, there’s absolutely no way you can say he would have or could have given us the same level of performance and physicality MPeterson gave us this yr. Replacing Brooking with Peterson was a definite upgrade.
JASON-you seem to be looking for an excuse to jump on someone. You’re not reading with comprehension. First, you should have noticed his name CAROLINAFALCON, and secondly, you should have noticed the statement “OUR O LINE HANDLED HIM PRETTY WELL”, as well as the use of the pronouns WE and OUR when referring to the Falcons. Go back and reread his comments and see if you don’t get a different take on what he said.
cdog
February 1st, 2010
11:28 pm
peppers whole attitude will change, the falcons are a superbowl contender and not the panthers.to be honest the whole falcon defensive line took plays off. thats why we need peppers.the linemen taking plays off is the reason the falcons were sitting home when the playoffs started.peppers would bring playoff and a winning attitude to the falcons instead of the panthers
ATLPhotog
February 1st, 2010
11:52 pm
Check the radar on motivated players who can make an impact at 30-31 yrs of age…not many. Find the best college, walk on, free agent you can because someone is often overlooked because of where they went to school. (for instance HBCU’s) some of the NFL’s best were small college players. Do whatever you have to but find the best, motivated, hungry, beast of a DE, CB, S, OLB now. Not for two-three years down-the-line.
Domini
February 1st, 2010
11:57 pm
I think this is stupid to even talk about because why would Atlanta get a guy who is wanting to play LB he has expressed that and if thats the reason he wanted to get traded then i doubt he will sign with the Falcons and this is a waste of time to talk about.