Report: Bears looking to pick up Peppers

Posted by Mike Florio on February 23, 2010 8:37 PM ET
With Bears coach Lovie Smith and, to a lesser extent, G.M. Jerry Angelo facing a win-or-else season, the team is poised to make a splash in free agency.

Specifically, the Bears' top target is Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers, according to Jason La Canfora of NFL.com.

Technically, the Bears aren't allowed to comment to anyone, publicly or privately, about their interest in Peppers or any other player whose contract has yet to expire. And if the league actually cared about tampering (other than when the 49ers do it), the league employee who has broken the news might have an awkward moment or two in the biggest office at 280 Park Avenue.

La Canfora also reports that Packers defensive end Aaron Kampman is "very much on [the Bears'] radar."

Chicago needs to bolster the defensive end position due to the tragic passing of Gaines Adams, for whom the Bears gave up their 2010 second-round pick in October. The Bears also are without a first-round pick, due to the 2009 trade for quarterback Jay Cutler.

We continue to believe that anyone who signs Peppers is taking a huge risk. With every reason in 2009 to have a huge year, he simply didn't. Once he gets paid, realistic expectations should be even lower.

Then again, if Peppers ends up in the NFC North, Vikings left tackle Bryant McKinnie will have two games per year in which he'll need to be ready to claim after the fact that he was injured.

Permalink 4 Comments Latest stories in: Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Latest News and Rumors, Minnesota Vikings, NFL Mobile Exclusives - Rumors, Top Stories


http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... p-peppers/

I'll pass. Too much money and on the wrong side of his career.

_________________

That means they'll probably sign him.

100% agreed with both of you.

_________________
"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

Like Moose?

_________________

I'd rather go for Aaron Kampman.He is still searching for his des. I really want to go for Rolle from the Cardnials. Assholes.

Julius Peppers is the correct target. Get him, please.

_________________
Fire Phil Emery

Bears- Your lack of a pass rush called. It's looking for some Peppers.

_________________
-"God is great. Beer is good. And People are crazy!"

Why? He isn't worth the money. They have more important holes to fill.

_________________

DE is the single most important hole to fill on this team. There would be no bigger impact. Lack of pass rush is what held back the defense for the past three years.

The offensive line mostly needs help on the interior where you typically look to mid-round draft picks. You can make do with the WRs. The secondary needs help but there's no one that really excites me. But you NEED a legitimate pass rusher.

_________________
Fire Phil Emery

He would make the defense better and they could get away with ignoing the safety holes again. They will have the money because they aren't going to pay the 1st or 2nd rnd pick.

He could be a Randy Moss type thing but something about it doesn't feel right to me. If they get him I won't be unhappy but I'm just not all for it.

Yes you do... in 2012 (maybe 2011) when this team can be competitive again. Sign whomever is a free agent at that time. No sense in wasting money this year.

_________________
"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

Peppers is a win now move. It's not wasting money. They will be starting over from scratch by the time the contract should be done anyway.

I just can't see why you would overpay for a guy that has 6 more sacks than Ogunleye over the past 3 years. Why not use that $15M a year to fill a lot of other needs?

_________________

Fill it with what? who? In the scheme (even if it's not "Cover2) they run strength at DE is the most important position. That's why they keep trying to get one.

10-12M would be good. 15 is too high.

Yeah I'm not sure if giving him Haynesworth money then launching him after 1 year is the right move. However if the rest of the league views him as damaged (lazy) goods, and you give him merely* top 5 DE money, someone will offer him that. Definitely a high risk/ high reward move.

_________________
1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

If they could get him for 4 years at $50 million that would be about the limit for me for money
and years. Hell, 4 years is still probably too long but you know he is going to be looking for a
longer contract. With no Adams ( I know he didn't do anything while he was here) and probably
no Ogunleye they need something to fill that gap. They aren't going to find anyone in the
draft that late in the game. I wouldn't be upset with getting Kampman either for less money.

_________________
Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

they need more than 1.

Gotta get Kampman or Peppers.

Either one will do.

And Antrel Rolle is a good thought as well

the bears are more than one big signing away. i agree that they should take the money they would use for peppers and use it to try and fill other holes and keep the good pieces they can use going forward. peppers would be a good move for a team that is on the brink of playoff success. to get to the brink you need to draft well and build team strength that way. plugging the holes with high-priced FA's is a dangerous way to try and build a team.

I thought the Bears would make an effort at Peppers. I’m still not sure they will ultimately get him because if this turns into a bidding war, I don’t know how high they are going to bid, but just like Cutler, they will be one of the top teams in the running for him.

Now that some (assuming this report is true) can all get your Angelo has no power and won’t do anything and Ted Phillips said there will be no changes BS to the side, let’s get down to brass tacks and discuss the reality of the situation.

What do we feel is the likelihood of landing Peppers now that we have a good source that they will be involved, like I said they would be, and what would the final asking price be in your opinion. Finally, is he worth that price.

I am putting their chances at 33% as I think only 3 teams or so will be in the running. I have no reason to assume one is more likely to get him than another, so that’s why I’m pegging it at an even 33%. While I say the Bears are at 33%, I also say each of the others is starting at 33%. I am hearing it will take $70 million to get him, with up to $25-30 million guaranteed. Also, Angelo has been pretty nifty with the Bears cap management, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they were able to negotiate Peppers deal in a way that front loaded a lot of the money in an uncapped year to minimize future cap ramifications for a large signing like this.

They will get 2-3 years out of him. He is old and has a tendency to be lazy. If he gets paid and the offense is garbage I don't think you will see production out of him. Then you have him and the dipshit with no knees and a completely terrible team. Horrible move at that price.

I think he is better than his stats say, but that is part why I don't like this deal. He is lazy and our staff is not known for motivating its players. I think if he ended up on the pats he'd be a beast. Bears won't get him to produce and at that kind of money it's not worth it.

It's not just about total sacks. He would instantly make everyone on the d-line better. He only finished with 1 sack in that game against Minnesota, but he was easily the best player on the field that day. It's worth it to pay him. When he wants to be, he's the best DE in the NFL and supposedly he just hasnt been happy with Carolina recently. He's so good that even when he's lazy he's an impact player.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

If they sign him I hope you are right. I would prefer AK at a lower price.

_________________

I just can not see committing a huge amount of money to a guy with work ethic issues. To get the best out of him he needs to be in the last yr of a contract on a playoff team. Go after Kampman. Don't take the risk on a guy who, with a huge multi-year contract, will shut it down and become disinterested on a losing team.

_________________
That's my purse! I don't know you!

If the Bears were close to being good, one or two players away, then yes, go get Peppers. But a team that needs help at every position except QB, K, & P, signing Peppers is a waste of resources.
The Bears have a lot of dollars committed to guys who blow like Harris, & signing a guy who is just about finished to huge money like Peppers wont help this team. The Bears need to sign a bunch of younger less expensive free agents rather than one player.

_________________
CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

The Bears probably arent as far as some people think. A superstar pass rushing DE will make everyone on the whole defense's job considerably easier. Don't overlook or underestimate the impact one player can make. Look at what happened when the Bears lost Urlacher. Or the Steelers lost Polamalu. One player can have that big an impact.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

If the Bears didnt lose Urlacher for the season last year they win maybe two more games. Big deal. The Bears are a mess. One player doesnt make the Bears a great team.

_________________
CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

If the bears have enough money to sign peppers then they had enough money to eat lovie's contract.

_________________
That's my purse! I don't know you!