Panthers will let DE Peppers go free

As defensive end Julius Peppers expected, the Carolina Panthers announced Tuesday that they have no plan to place franchise tag on him, letting Thursday’s deadline pass by and Peppers make his own choice about his future career as an unrestricted free agent.




“With the magnitude of the contract, the tender that it would take to franchise him and how it fits into the big picture with our team, we made the decision to not franchise him,” Panthers GM Marty Hurney said. “Obviously, it’s a very difficult decision because he’s a tremendous player.”

Thus after March 5, Peppers will have the right to sign with any team he likes to play for. Seeming happy to learn that the Panthers would not tag him, Peppers released a statement through his agent on the same day, saying that he felt good to have the opportunity to visit with other teams and his next goal will be to find the right match for his skill set. Forget the eight seasons he played in Panthers jerseys, and try to believe his new phase of career will be better, or at least as good as he has expected.

Questions to be answered this week

Usually, a lot of questions would be asked about the NFL and their players during the offseason. When there is no game, some begin to rest, some are to reconsider their choices and some get ready to compete for their chances.

The first of all questions to be answered: who will be the most impressive at the Combine that begins Wednesday in Indianapolis? Draft prospects are timed, measured, tested, interviewed, and thoroughly scrutinized. And quarterbacks Jimmy Clausen and Sam Bradford are now the hottest topics.

The next question is about franchise tag and the answer will come out no later than Thursday. Whether Saints safety Darren Sharper, Raiders defensive end Richard Seymour and Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork will be tagged or enter free agents market? Both teams and players need to make imminent decision. Also, Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers and Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby is likely to be free agents but there are still other possibilities.

Then there are questions about who are to leave their current teams. As teams are looking to avoid paying imminent roster bonuses, some prominent veterans could be released and some others may put on new teams’ NFL jerseys after being traded.