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NFL free agency: Julius Peppers staying with Panthers

By John Buhler

CHARLOTTE, NC - DECEMBER 24: Julius Peppers No. 90 of the Carolina Panthers reacts after a play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during their game at Bank of America Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - DECEMBER 24: Julius Peppers No. 90 of the Carolina Panthers reacts after a play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during their game at Bank of America Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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Defensive end Julius Peppers will remain in the Queen City for 2018, as the soon-to-be hall of fame pass rusher will re-sign with the Carolina Panthers.

He’s not done yet! That is a great thing for soon-to-be hall of fame defensive end Julius Peppers and the team he’ll play for again in 2018 in the Carolina Panthers. According to Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer, Peppers will re-up with the Panthers for the 2018 NFL season. This will be Peppers’ 17th NFL season out of North Carolina and his 10th with the Panthers organization over two stints.

Peppers has already had a stellar NFL career, doing everything but win a Lombardi Trophy. Returning to Carolina in 2018 isn’t a bad call for him to potentially reach Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta. To date, Peppers has made nine Pro Bowls, three All-Pro teams and was 2002’s Defensive Player of the Year in Carolina. He has 154.5 career sacks and is certainly Canton bound.

Carolina might be home for Peppers, but things will be a tad different in Charlotte this year. The Panthers are undergoing a change of ownership with Jerry Richardson seeking the team. Carolina will have two new coordinators in 2018, as defensive coordinator Steve Wilks now leads the Arizona Cardinals. Former offensive coordinator Mike Shula now runs the New York Giants offense.

Peppers remains a highly productive player into his late 30s. He provides leadership and stability to a Panthers team that will be experiencing a great deal of change this year. For the right price, this looks to be a solid deal for the Panthers. However, it’s not one that is going to get them over the top and into the Super Bowl on its own. Keep in mind that Peppers is 38 years old.

Contract Details

Details of Peppers’ new deal with the Panthers have not been released other than it will be a one-year deal as stated by Person. Odds are that it will be incentive-laden and probably in the ballpark of what Peppers made a year ago in Charlotte. Peppers earned a one-year, $3.5 million deal to return to the Panthers in 2017.

National Reaction

Next: 2018 NFL free agency tracker

Grade

Peppers had an astonishing 11 quarterback sacks in year 16 as a 37-year-old. If he’s anywhere close to 7.5 this fall, this deal will be worth it. Even if it is a one-year deal, this contract is worth it for the Panthers for the leadership and veteran presence he’ll provide. The guy is ageless and the Panthers probably got him for cheap. However, the market for him probably wasn’t there given his age. Let’s hope Carolina didn’t overpay for what Peppers used to do.

Grade: A-

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