Peppers speaks out about team's silence

Published Feb. 9, 2010 at 8:42 a.m.
Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers remained noncommittal about his future plans Tuesday, and said the team’s lack of communication with him and his agent “is kind of a turnoff.”

...“Because of the lack of communication they’ve had with us, if someone were to ask me do I want to stay in Carolina and play for the Panthers next year, it’s like, ok, how can you say you want to be somewhere when you’re not really sure if they want you here because they’re not even talking to you,” Peppers said in an interview with Charlotte radio station WFNZ 610-AM, aired Tuesday morning.

...Peppers’ agent, Carl Carey, said recently that the Panthers had not contacted him since the end of the season to discuss his client’s future with the team. Peppers contract is expiring and he’s eligible to become an unrestricted free agent March 5.

...The Panthers’ options include applying the franchise tag for the second consecutive year, which would require them to make him a one-year tender offer of more than $20 million; trying to sign him to a long-term contract; or allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent and get nothing in return for his loss.

...The NFL's two-week window in which teams can apply franchise tags opens Thursday. The deadline for any such move is Feb. 25.

...Peppers said in the interview that he has not talked to the Panthers but that the team has sent Carey “a couple of vague text messages … nothing of substance.”

...“I could take it that they’re not really wanting to say anything,” said Peppers. “I have no idea what they’re wanting to say.”

...Peppers, who rarely talks to the media, said he has a unique understanding of how to send a message without saying anything.

...“I’m a man of very few words,” he said. “I understand very well what silence means.

...“For a person being silent to me, I understand exactly what you’re trying to say.”

...When asked what he wants now, Peppers was noncommittal.

...“To be honest with you, I really don’t have a preference,” he said. “I’m in a great position. These are options I’m fine with either way they go. If I have to play under the tender, that’s fine. Whatever the other two options are, I’m fine with whatever happens.”

...Peppers didn’t say he wanted to leave the Panthers, but added there was a time last summer when signing a long-term deal with the team “was the option I wanted most. Now it’s not.”

...Peppers said he enjoyed playing for new defensive coordinator Ron Meeks and defensive line coach Brian Baker and felt the defense was moving in a positive direction, something he didn’t feel was the case a year ago at this time when he was saying he wanted to move to another team.

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