Bears are Frontrunners for Julius Peppers
The Chicago Bears continue their policy of questionable decision-making by apparently putting the full-court press on former Carolina Panther Julius Peppers. For those unfamiliar with Peppers, he is the NFL’s version of Vince Carter. A freakish, tremendously talented athlete who put up great numbers despite his lack of passion for the game.
Born in Wilson, NC, he was a Parade All-American who also won a track state championship running the 4×200. He continued his athletic career at UNC where he was a dual-sport athlete, playing for Bill Guthridge’s nationally ranked basketball team. Then, the stars aligned and the Carolina Panthers had a chance to draft him #2 overall in the 2002 draft.
In only his second season with the team, the Panthers went to the Super Bowl, narrowly losing to the New England Patriots, and what should have been the start of an iconic career was instead a the beginning of a tragic fall. Peppers always stayed out of the limelight, often ignoring reporters, and rarely associated with his teammates. Despite his production on the field (he’s been to the Pro Bowl five times), some fans felt he had a habit of disappearing for several weeks at a time.
When Panthers captain Mike Minter retired prior to the 2007 season, Panthers owner Jerry Richardson called for a meeting with his head coach and his best defensive player. At the meeting Richardson challenged Peppers to become the leader of the defense, and went as far as pushing Coach Fox to name him a defensive captain. Peppers never embraced this role, and performed miserably in 2007, putting up a career-low 2.5 sacks. Peppers was replaced as captain by second-year player Jon Beason, who embraced the role.
Tired of the expectations placed on him by Richardson and Fox, Peppers demanded a trade to escape the spotlight that comes with being the hometown hero. The Panthers weren’t about to give up their best player without compensation, so they exercised the franchise tag and attempted to move him in a deal similar to the one the Chiefs got for Jared Allen the year before. The market for Peppers never developed the way the Panthers anticipated, and the best offer was one centered around a New England second-round pick.
The Panthers elected to pay Peppers the value of his franchise tag (over $1m per game), with the intention of re-evaluating the market after this season. Peppers performed as he always has, flashes of brilliance interspersed with long periods of complacency. At this point the Panthers elected to make only a courtesy last-minute offer before saying good-bye to the player whose potential is unmatched in the league.
Bears fans who know Peppers only from NFL Live will undoubtedly be excited about a player with Peppers’ highlight reel, but check back in a year and let me know if the aloof DE was worth the exorbitant price-tag he will command. Consider this a fair warning.
Dez Bryant is Tremendous
But whatever team drafts him will be vastly overpaying for the former star of Stillwater, OK. This principle is easy to illustrate with the 2007 number 2 overall pick, Calvin Johnson.
Johnson has been nothing short of electric during his time with the Lions, racking up stats no Detroit receiver since Herman Moore has approached. But the Lions have remained in the cellar of the NFC North, and are paying Johnson 64 million over 6 years with 28 million guaranteed.
Retroactively, it’s easy to see the Lions would be better off with a cornerstone LT taken one pick later, Joe Thomas of Wisconsin. Free agent LTs earn wages more in-line with the deal given to CJ, a contract that was an albatross on the Lions books the day it was signed.
TIM TEBOW COMBINE
Oft-maligned Tim Tebow of the University of Florida quietly posted terrific numbers in several key combine events today, locking up the top vertical jump and 3-cone drills of any QB. He also ranked second in the broad jump and a respectable fourth in the 40-yard dash. Below is a table of NFL.com verified results for Tebow and selected other combine participants.
Bradford’s Shot at #1
According to recent NFL mock drafts, and cap gurus, the St. Louis Rams are in a tight bind with their number one overall pick. The top guy on their board, Ndomokong Suh, is clearly an elite player and one of the best prospects to come out of college in several years. If the NFL’s rookie salary slotting system worked more like the NBA’s, there’s no question that the Rams would make Suh their pick.
Unfortunately in the NFL, the top overall pick will earn compensation that will place him among the highest paid players in the game. The Rams, who have spent 3 of their last 4 first round picks along the defensive line, can ill afford to invest more cap room into the position, especially given their glaring need at QB.
According to Daniel Jeremiah at MoveTheSticks.com, Bradford measured in a shade over 6-4 carrying 236 pounds on his frame. If team doctors give him a clean bill of health, expect the Rams to nab their QB of the future with the pick.
Remember Callahan Bright?
Scroll ahead to 1:17 to watch him rag-doll 1st round NFL pick Eugene Monroe at a high school camp.