Julius Peppers - Pro Football Rumors

Julius Peppers To Continue Playing

March 6th, 2017 at 12:49pm CST by Zachary Links

Julius Peppers isn’t done with football just yet. The veteran will return to play in 2017, though his next stop is still uncertain.

“Julius, after taking some time to reflect during the offseason, has decided that he still has the desire and enthusiasm for the game, and his intention is to play a 16th NFL season,” agent Carl Carey told ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky and Vaughn McClure.

Peppers is fifth on the NFL’s all-time career sacks list, and could conceivably move up to No. 4 with another year on the field. The 37-year-old has 143.5 career sacks and needs seven to match Chris Doleman’s 150.5 total. Last year, Peppers finished out with 7.5 sacks, so a repeat effort would leave him all alone at No. 4 on the list. To have any chance of bypassing Kevin Greene (third all-time with 160 sacks), he’ll need at least two more seasons. Of course, Peppers will be taking things one step at a time and his next deal will almost certainly be of the one-year variety.

Our updated rankings of this year’s defensive free agents lists Peppers as one of the ten best edge defenders out there.

Top 2017 Free Agents By Position: Defense

February 24th, 2017 at 10:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

NFL free agency will get underway on Thursday, March 9th, and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. The frenzy is right around the corner and it’s time for us to break down the outlook for each position. After looking at offense, we’ll tackle defense and special teams today.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each defensive position. These rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts – or the amount of guaranteed money – that each player is expected to land in free agency. These are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account.

Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents, as well as players who received the franchise tag, aren’t listed here, since the roadblocks in place to hinder another team from actually acquiring most of those players prevent them from being true free agents.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some free agents than you are, so feel free to weigh in below in our comments section to let us know which players we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by defensive position for 2017:

Edge defender:

The Cardinals have already made it abundantly clear that Chandler Jones will see the franchise tag this offseason, and Melvin Ingram and Jason Pierre-Paul are also candidates to be tagged by the Chargers and Giants, respectively. If the latter two are able to hit the open market unfettered, however, they both figure to break the bank. Ingram, Pro Football Focus’ No. 6 edge defender, could be a fit for both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes, while JPP will be looking for a long-term commitment after signing consecutive one-year deals.

The rest of this year’s crop of free agent pass rushers is a blend of young defenders searching for their first payday and veterans on the hunt for one last contract. Among the players with youth still on their side, Packers edge defenders Nick Perry and Datone Jones figure to interest different clubs, as Perry is a better match for a 3-4 defense while Jones needs to restart his career as a 4-3 defensive end. John Simon has been overlooked while playing alongside the likes of J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, and Whitney Mercilus but could represent a hidden gem, while the Dolphins are reportedly prioritizing Andre Branch.

After managing nine sacks over the first nine years of his NFL tenure, Lorenzo Alexander busted out with 12.5 quarterback takedowns in 2016, and now could be looking for a double-digit annual salary. James Harrison and Charles Johnson, meanwhile, look like good bets to return to Steelers and Panthers, respectively, but DeMarcus Ware could be something of a wild card — after missing 11 games in the past two seasons, does the 34-year-old have enough left in the tank? The same could be asked of Dwight Freeney, who at age-37 posted three sacks in a rotational role for the Falcons.

Interior defensive line:

Unlike the edge defender market, the 2017 cadre of interior defensive lineman shouldn’t be overly affected by the franchise tender. Head coach Ron Rivera recently confessed the Panthers will “probably” have to use the tag on Kawann Short, but the rest of the defensive tackles listed here should be able to hit the open market. Of the remaining defenders, Campbell is the best overall player, but given that he’s entering his age-31 season, he may not cost as much as Johnathan Hankins, Brandon Williams, and Dontari Poe.

Hankins is only 24 years old, and though the Giants are trying to retain him along with the rest of their defensive core, the 6’3″, 320-pound mauler should represent an attractive option to a number of clubs this offseason. Williams, too, offers a massive presence on the inside, while Poe could intrigue clubs based on his first-round pedigree and athleticism (though his play hasn’t always matched his potential). The Redskins’ Chris Baker is a solid, well-rounded defensive tackle, and could constitute a consolation prize for teams that miss out on their top targets.

The rest of the class offers an interesting mix of nose tackles (Bennie Logan), interior pass rushers (Nick Fairley, Earl Mitchell), and run stoppers (Karl Klug, Alan Branch), so clubs hoping to bolster their defensive line should find no shortage of options. Jared Odrick recently hit free agency after being released by the Jaguars, while Terrell McClain, Lawrence Guy, and Stacy McGee could be underrated finds for the right team. McClain, for what it’s worth, has already been linked to the Falcons.

Linebacker:

As usual, the non-rush linebacker market isn’t exactly overflowing with elite talent, and Dont’a Hightower stands as far-and-away the best player among this group. The Patriots already traded away several of their best defenders, including Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins, an indication that they view Hightower as the best best to stick around long term. Hightower has communicated an openness to the franchise tag, but New England may go in another direction and offer him the transition tender instead.

Coming off a disappointing four-year run with the Titans in 2016, Zach Brown was last year forced to sign a one-year deal with the Bills for less than $1.5MM. That won’t be the case this spring, as Brown finally lived up to his second-round draft status by grading as one of the league’s best ‘backers. Brown especially excelled in pass coverage by using his speed to chase pass-catchers around the field, and in today’s NFL, that’s a skill-set that equals a hefty paycheck.

Kevin Minter has captained the Cardinals defense for the past two seasons, and has indicated he wouldn’t mind following Arizona defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to New York. Lawrence Timmons, meanwhile, is talking about a return to the Steelers, but general manager Kevin Colbert admitted an agreement between the two sides could be hard to reach. After years of playing behind Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, A.J. Klein is seeking a starting job, while Mike Morgan and Nick Bellore are more likely to be signed as primary special teamers.

Cornerback:

The Texans are unlikely to use the franchise tag on A.J. Bouye, a decision which sets up the young corner to be the single-most intriguing player on the 2017 free agent market. Only 25 years old, Bouye came out of nowhere to grade as PFF’s No. 3 corner in 2016. But the former undrafted free agent played on less than 900 defensive snaps over the first three years of his career, so he’s going to get paid on essentially one season of production. Bouye earned less than $3MM total during his time with Houston — his next contract could contain five times that amount…annually.

The cornerback market stands as one of the best free agent positional groups this offseason, as strong players permeate the list from top-to-bottom. Trumaine Johnson faces an outside shot of being franchise-tagged, but if he hits the open market, he’ll likely be aiming for a contract similar to that of his former Rams teammate Janoris Jenkins (five years, $62.5MM). Elsewhere among corners, Stephon Gilmore is a more high-profile name than Logan Ryan, but Ryan has simply played better over the last few campaigns, and offers a more dependable output.

Morris Claiborne is a former first-round pick but didn’t play like it until last season. Dre Kirkpatrick is a former first-round pick but has never played like it. The rest of the cornerback list has warts, as well: Prince Amukamara has dealt with injury, Kayvon Webster has only two career starts, Terence Newman is entering his age-39 season, and Sam Shields is coming off multiple concussions. All of these players offer upside, but they are all undoubtedly attached to risk.

Safety:

The Chiefs are working to re-sign Eric Berry, but if the two parties can’t agree to a new deal, Kansas City will likely employ the franchise tag for the second consecutive season. The only problem? Berry is adamant that he won’t play under the tag again, even though it would guarantee him a one-year salary of nearly $13MM. Realistically, Berry won’t have any choice but to sign the tender — given that he’s already 28, he can’t afford to sit out the season and risk hitting the open market at close to 30 years old.

Tony Jefferson, meanwhile, is expected to hit free agency, and could be the second-highest paid safety in this class behind Berry. Jefferson did reach the free agent market in 2016 as a restricted free agent, but he didn’t come with draft compensation attached. Any club could have signed him to an offer sheet, and if the Cardinals declined to match, would have acquired Jefferson scot-free. No team did so, which could be an indication that Jefferson’s 2016 market could be less robust than expected.

Also working against Jefferson is the fact that he plays close to the line of scrimmage, a role that’s relatively easy to fill, as Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus explained on a recent podcast. Duron Harmon, on the other hand, has demonstrated an ability to play deep safety, and thus could be in for a surprisingly high salary. The Cowboys’ Barry Church is “solid at everything, great at nothing,” tweets Andy Benoit of Sports Illustrated, while Jonathan Cyprien and T.J. McDonald are primarily run defenders. Darius Butler may be the most fascinating case among this list of safeties, as the former corner should theoretically offer above-average coverage skills.

Kicker:

The Seahawks don’t figure to re-sign Steven Hauschka after bringing in fellow kicker Blair Walsh, but the longtime Seattle placekicker should be able to quickly find a new home in free agency. Nick Novak attempted the second-most field goals in the NFL last season after many Texans’ drives stalled, while Robbie Gould filled in admirably for the Giants after they released Josh Brown, converting of all ten of his field goal attempts.

Nick Folk was released as a cap casualty, and still has the talent to become another club’s kicker, while Mike Nugent — cut by the Bengals at midseason — may be nearing the end of the road after missing six extra points. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Phil Dawson come back for a fifth season with the 49ers, but Greg Zuerlein could move on from the Rams after the club threatened to bring in competition last offseason.

Punter:

Jeff Locke, 27, managed to pin opposing clubs inside the 20-yard line 34 times in 2016, good for fifth in the league. Britton Colquitt isn’t quite the punter that his brother, Dustin, is, but he found a new club soon after being cut last season and should do so again in 2017. Now 40 years old, Shane Lechler is a seven-time Pro Bowler, but the Texans lost 12.7 points of field position on punts last season, meaning Houston could go in another direction at punter.

Julius Peppers Finished With Packers?

February 16th, 2017 at 9:56pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Pending free agent Julius Peppers “appears to be done” with the Packers, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Peppers has declined to address retirement in the past, so although Demovsky’s report likely means Peppers won’t re-sign with Green Bay, Peppers may look to continue his career elsewhere.

Peppers, 37, wrapped up another productive season with the Packers, as he appeared in all 16 games, posted 7.5 sacks, and graded as the league’s No. 35 edge defender, per Pro Football Focus. A rare external signing by Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson, Peppers has delivered on his three-year, $26MM deal by racking up 25 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, and 14 passes defensed during his time with the Packers. Peppers, who ranks fifth all-time with 143.5 quarterback takedowns, was coy when asked about retirement late last year.

“I’m not saying that I don’t want to play next year,” said Peppers. “I’m not saying that I do. I’m just saying that right now I don’t know.”

If he does reach the free agent market, Peppers will join a group of available edge players that includes Chandler Jones (who is likely to be franchised), Melvin Ingram, Jason Pierre-Paul, fellow Packer Nick Perry, James Harrison, Jabaal Sheard, and others.

NFC North Notes: Packers, Lions, Boldin, Bears

December 5th, 2016 at 9:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Packers defensive tackle Mike Pennel‘s lawsuit against the NFL and NFLPA has been resolved, as Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal tweets. As such, the NFL has agreed to appoint third arbitrator to hear Pennel’s appeal of his impending 10-game suspension. That appeal hearing was originally supposed to take place tomorrow, but the meeting has now been postponed, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.

Here’s more from the NFC North:

In the midst of his 15th NFL season, Packers edge rusher Julius Peppers isn’t committing to playing in 2017, reports Jason Wilde of ESPN.com (Twitter link). “I’m not saying that I don’t want to play next year,” said Peppers. “I’m not saying that I do. I’m just saying that right now I don’t know.” The 36-year-old Peppers is having another solid season, as he’s posted 6.5 sacks while grading as the league’s No. 26 edge defender, according to Pro Football Focus. He’ll be a free agent at season’s end.
Veteran wide receiver Anquan Boldin earned a $500K incentive bonus when the Lions won their eighth game of the season on Sunday, Field Yates of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). Under the terms of the one-year deal he signed with Detroit, Boldin could possibly earn another $500K in not-likely-to-be-earned bonuses. Even in his age-36 season, Boldin is still producing, as he’s put up 52 receptions and six touchdowns this year.
Although they currently own the No. 4 overall pick in 2017 draft (pending the outcome of Monday Night Football), the Bears should focus on posting victories with their core rather than angling for a higher draft choice, argues Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun Times. Chicago is now 3-9 after beating San Francisco on Sunday, earning the win on the back of running back Jordan Howard‘s three touchdowns. Other recent acquisitions, such as quarterback Matt Barkley, defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, and linebacker Leonard Floyd also provided “glimmers of hope,” as Jahns writes.

NFL Clears Harrison, Matthews, Peppers

August 31st, 2016 at 1:14pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL has cleared James Harrison, Clay Matthews, and Julius Peppers in the PED probe, a source tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter). There was “no credible evidence” found in the league’s investigation or interviews.

Late last year, a documentary from Al- Jazeera America linked Harrison, Matthews, Peppers, Peyton Manning, and Mike Neal to a pharmaceutical company in Indiana where Charles Sly claimed that he supplied athletes with performance enhancing drugs. Since then, the NFL has been investigating the five players named and recently began the process of interviewing them.

Manning immediately consented, but the other players were opposed to the interviews and fought back per the advise of the NFLPA. Eventually, Harrison, Matthews, Peppers, and Neal (after some additional deliberation) agreed to do the interviews. Roughly one week later, the first three have been cleared by the league office while there is no word just yet on Neal.

Latest On Harrison, Matthews, Peppers

August 25th, 2016 at 1:54pm CST by Zachary Links

This week, the NFL interviewed Packers linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers and Steelers linebacker James Harrison with regards to the allegations raised in the infamous Al Jazeera documentary. During those interviews, the league did not raise any new evidence or allegations, a source close to the situation tells Dan Graziano of ESPN.com.

After weeks of will they/won’t they talk, the three players consented to interviews with the league office under threat of suspension. Peyton Manning was the first player of the bunch to agree to an interview and free agent Mike Neal stands as the last straggler.

If the league has no further proof of anything tying these players to the Guyer Institute, then a statement clearing all three of them could be forthcoming.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFL Sets Dates For PED Interviews

August 22nd, 2016 at 7:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The NFL will meet with Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers in Green Bay on Wednesday to discuss the league’s ongoing PED investigation, a source tells Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter links). Steelers linebacker James Harrison‘s interview will take place on August 30 in Pittsburgh, while free agent Mike Neal will sit down with the league this Thursday in Chicago.

Last week, the NFL stated that the four players involved in the PED scandal — which was spurred by an Al-Jazeera documentary that aired earlier this year — would be required to submit to interviews by August 25 or face suspension. The NFL received written statements from the four players in question at the end of last month, and the NFLPA is of the opinion that those affadavits qualify as “cooperation.” The league disagrees, and is still requiring the individuals to partake in in-person interviews.

Harrison, for his part, has said he never denied any interview, but claimed he’d like like for the meeting to be televised (and also referred to commissioner Roger Goodell as a “crook”). He, Matthews, and Peppers agreed to sit-downs, but Neal was of a different mind, at least originally. One report indicated that Neal had no intention of meeting with the NFL given that he’s considering retirement, but that notion was quickly disputed, and Neal will interview with the league.

“We’ve spent the last few days advising our players and letting them know in a completely honest and open way exactly what their options are, what they want to do,” NFLPA president Eric Winston said last week. “Each case is different, each guy is different. Each guy might want to do different things so no matter what we’re going fight for them like crazy like we always do, and we’re going go and have our players’ backs. That’s what we’re all about and that’s all we can do and that’s what we’re going to continue to do.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Harrison, Matthews, Peppers To Meet With NFL

August 18th, 2016 at 2:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Steelers linebacker James Harrison and Packers linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers have agreed to meet with NFL investigators, sources tell ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. However, Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter) hears that free-agent linebacker Mike Neal has not yet agreed to an interview. The league threatened suspensions for all four players if they did not cooperate. The NFL has been pushing to meet with the quartet of notables after steroid allegations were made in an Al-Jazeera report.

Harrison has agreed to meet on August 29th at the team facility, though he says he will only answer questions concerning the segment of the documentary in which he was identified. It is not yet clear if the league will accept those conditions. It’s also not clear exactly when Matthews and Peppers will meet with investigators. The NFLPA will serve in an advisory capacity, even if they are not thrilled about the precedent the interviews may set.

On Tuesday, Harrison explained to reporters that he had serious reservations about the potential interview.

“Somebody could come out and say James Harrison is a pedophile. They are going to suspend me, put me under investigation for being a pedophile just because somebody said it? I’m not going to answer questions for every little thing some Tom, Dick and Harry comes up with,” Harrison said.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On NFL’s PED Investigation

August 17th, 2016 at 11:01am CST by Zachary Links

A representative for Steelers linebacker James Harrison told Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) that his client has never “denied an attempt for an interview” and said he “would be open to it,” though the NFLPA is handling the case. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Harrison himself intimated that he is allowing the union to take the lead on the matter, though he also had personal objections to the interviews. When asked why he wouldn’t opt to just get the process over with, Harrison responded:

“If that’s the case, then somebody could come out and say James Harrison is a pedophile. They are going to suspend me, put me under investigation for being a pedophile just because somebody said it? I’m not going to answer questions for every little thing some Tom, Dick and Harry comes up with (via Chuck Schilken the Los Angeles Times).

Meanwhile, Harrison was asked to take a random PED test on Tuesday, one day after the league threatened to suspend him and the three other players implicated in the Al Jazeera documentary if they do not consent to interviews. In a Facebook video, Harrison expressed doubt that the test was in fact “random.”

The league says that Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers, Mike Neal, and Harrison will face suspensions if they do not submit to an interview by next Friday. As the NFLPA locks heads with the NFL, the union’s only option may be to file a lawsuit, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. The union – fearful of setting a dangerous precedent – has told those players not to consent to the interviews. The PED policy states that the NFL may impose discipline if it has “credible evidence” of a violation. The NFLPA argues that the unwittingly recorded bragging of Indiana-based pharmacist Charles Sly does not qualify as “credible,” but the commissioner’s office does not agree.

While it seems like the players are facing union pressure not to talk to Roger Goodell, NFLPA president Eric Winston says that each player will ultimately choose their own course of action.

“We’ve spent the last few days advising our players and letting them know in a completely honest and open way exactly what their options are, what they want to do,” Winston told Florio. “Each case is different, each guy is different. Each guy might want to do different things so no matter what we’re going fight for them like crazy like we always do, and we’re going go and have our players’ backs. That’s what we’re all about and that’s all we can do and that’s what we’re going to continue to do.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On PED Investigation

August 15th, 2016 at 5:28pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The four players who have thus far refused to speak with the NFL about their involvement in a PED scandal will be suspended if they do not cooperate by August 26th, a source tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter links: 1, 2, 3, 4). Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers, James Harrison, and Mike Neal all face bans if they don’t submit to interviews with the league by next Friday. The suspensions would be for conduct detrimental, according to Pelissero, and separate from any drug-related bans the players may face.

“We cannot accept your unilateral assertion that the cursory, untested statements you have submitted satisfy the players’ obligation,” reads the league’s letter to the players’ union. “Accordingly, the Commissioner has directed that Messrs. Harrison, Matthews, Neal and Peppers be given until Thursday, August 25 to provide interviews.

For those players whose interviews do not take place on or before that date, or who fail meaningfully to participate in or otherwise obstruct the interview, their actions will constitute conduct detrimental and they will be suspended, separate and apart from any possible future determination that they violated the steroid policy. The suspension for each such player will begin on Friday, August 26 and will continue until he has fully participated in an interview with league investigators, after which the Commissioner will determine whether and when the suspension should be lifted.”

The NFL received written statements from the four players in question at the end of last month, and the NFLPA is of the opinion that those affadavits qualify as “cooperation.” The league disagrees, and is still requiring the individuals to partake in in-person interviews at training camp. The league informed the union that it first plans to interview Neal, who spent 2010-15 with the Packers but is currently a free agent. He attributes his unemployment, at least in part, to the documentary that links him, Peppers and Harrison to hormone supplement Delta-2, which is designed to stay ahead of drug tests.

Former Jets/Dolphins tight end Dustin Keller‘s name has also been mentioned in connection with the probe, and the league reportedly wants to interview him, as well. Peyton Manning, meanwhile, had been linked to the investigation, but was recently cleared of all charges.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.