Peppers to Pats for 2nd round pick pretty much done (mags edits because it's not)

Patriots appear primed to make move for Peppers

By Vic Carucci | NFL.com
Senior Columnist







The trade that sent Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs appears to be only the first phase of some major wheeling and dealing by the New England Patriots this offseason.
The second phase, NFL sources say, is likely to involve a trade that would send Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers to the Patriots in exchange for the second-round pick (34th overall) they received from the Chiefs on Feb. 28.
Patriots' offseason moves
Acquired:
TE Chris Baker
LB Tully Banta-Cain
CB Leigh Bodden
WR Joey Galloway
LS Nathan Hodel
WR Greg Lewis
CB Shawn Springs
RB Fred Taylor

Retained:
LB Eric Alexander
P Chris Hanson
G Russ Hochstein
S James Sanders

Departed:
QB Matt Cassel
FB Heath Evans
WR Jabar Gaffney
LB Larry Izzo
WR C.J. Jones
RB LaMont Jordan
LS Lonie Paxton
LB Darrell Robertson
LB Mike Vrabel

» Free-agency tracker


According to league sources, the Patriots and Panthers are hoping to complete the deal at some point between the March 22-25 NFL owners meetings and the start of the draft on April 25.
Peppers, on whom the Panthers have placed a franchise tag that assures him of a one-year contract worth $16.68 million, would be converted to outside linebacker in New England's 3-4 defense.
The Patriots were already looking ahead to the possibility of acquiring Peppers when they shipped Cassel and Vrabel to Kansas City, NFL sources say, because they wanted to clear the salary-cap space necessary to sign Peppers to a new contract that would put him among the higher-paid defensive players in the league. After signing Cassel to a one-year, franchise-tag tender contract worth $14.65 million, the Pats had nearly $30 million in cap money devoted to two quarterbacks (including $14.62 for Tom Brady).
Once they were convinced Brady would be fully recovered from the season-ending knee injury he suffered last year, they were comfortable with trading his replacement to the Chiefs and putting the wheels in motion to bolster a defense that has gotten particularly old at linebacker. Vrabel and fellow linebacker Tedy Bruschi are well into the twilight of their respective careers.
NFL sources say the Panthers would welcome the chance to unload Peppers for a second-rounder, even though it would be well below his market value, because it would be less costly to sign a second-round pick than a first-rounder. The Panthers already have made some belt-tightening financial moves within their front office.
This, in part, could help answer the lingering question of why the Patriots were willing to take only a second-round pick for Cassel and Vrabel rather than possibly get a higher choice as part of three-way a deal involving the Denver Broncos, who were ready to give up Jay Cutler for Cassel. Without an additional second-round pick, the Patriots might not be able to pursue Peppers.
League sources also point out that the Panthers don't have a first-round choice, after trading it to the Philadelphia Eagles, and aren't scheduled to draft until 59th overall (near the bottom of the second round). The 34th spot would give them the second pick of the second round and a chance to land a player with a first-round rating who was pushed down to that spot for whatever reason.
Also, according to NFL sources, there is a third phase to the Patriots' offseason strategy. They would like to further beef up their linebacking corps by adding an inside linebacker in the draft. They are known to believe that USC's Rey Maualuga would be a great fit for their scheme, especially when paired with Jerod Mayo, their 2008 first-round pick who was the NFL's top defensive rookie. However, some early projections suggest it might be long shot for Maualuga to be available for the Patriots with the 23rd overall pick.




Patriots coach Bill Belichick is known for making excellent decisions when it comes to acquiring players, but at least one NFL player-personnel evaluator questions whether Peppers would be a good fit in New England.
"This is a guy who totally went on strike two years ago because he wasn't happy with his contract," said the player-personnel man, who requested anonymity. "He's also very long (in the torso), which is not ideal for a 3-4 outside linebacker. And he can't drop into coverage. He's very stiff.
"But one of the things (the Patriots) are looking at is the fact that, in passing situations, they can have Peppers up front with (Richard) Seymour and (Jarvis) Green. That makes it easier for them to take (nose tackle Vince) Wilfork out of the game in (passing situations) and just play him on running downs."

 

a second round pick AND...... ????

 

Damn.

 

I'm suprised the Broncos, Pats, and panthers didn't make a 3 way trade to send cassell to the broncos and peppers to the pats and Cutler to the panthers. What about there back up Qb O'Connell?

 

a hand shake?

 

I'm getting pretty fucking frustrated with the front office. how the fuck are the redskins 40+ million over the cap one year then sign Hansworth, Hall and dockery to max contracts the next and we have a hard time keeping average players like gross? The chiefs get a 1st and 3rd for Allen we just a 2nd for peppers, no Wilfork or Seymour? nothing but a 2nd round pick.? Wtf!!!

 

Aren't "Max contracts" an NBA thing? Also Dockery is signed relatively cheap and Haynesworth and Hall's deals are full of phony back end years they will never see.

 

The panthers gave Stewart a 5 year "MAX" contract.

 

Explain more. You mean the length of the contract?

 

On espn when Stewart signed his rookie contract the line read a 5 year max contract. Besides what I was talking about in that other statement was the redskins paying these guys hella money not necessarily "max" but a butload of money is what I meant