One the best defensive players in the NFL, Carolina's Julius Peppers is about to become a free agent, according to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter last night.
Report: Julius Peppers Set To Hit The Free Agent Market
To keep Peppers, the Carolina Panthers would have been forced to apply the franchise tag, which would have cost them roughly $21 million this year. Instead, the reportedly team plans to let Peppers hit the open market, making him one of the most sought-after free agents in the past decade.
Peppers has had 81 sacks over the course of his career, and regularly commands double teams from opposing offensive linemen. Over the past few years, the relationship between Peppers and the Panthers has grown sour, particularly after the team applied the franchise tag to him last year, rather than negotiating a longterm contract. Things had gotten bad enough at various points so that a trade seemed imminent, with the New England Patriots frequently emerging as a rumored destination for the superstar defensive end.
Now? Every team will have a shot at one of the biggest talents in the league, and certainly the most attractive name in this year's crop of NFL free agents. The usual NFL big spenders come to mind as possible destinations for Peppers—the Redskins, Patriots, Cowboys, and Eagles, among others. NFL free agency kicks off on March 5, so stay tuned for more, as Peppers is sure to dominate the headlines.
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