Let me throw this out there...Peppers back in 2015?

[AKCheese]

Well?

 

[longtimefan]

salary cap of 12 mill? I think they just might

im ok with him being brought back

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I expect Peppers to be back. It´s possible his contract will be restructured though.

 

[tynimiller]

Restructured, but yes definitely back!

 

[Mondio]

I don't know that they'll restructure. I'd like them too, but it takes 2. It's not as if he didn't earn his money last year. He had decent numbers, but he was disruptive and a great addition last year. He was on a snap count this year, I imagine early and middle of next year he will be too.

I'm not confident Perry will be an every down player for this team and Neal is a decent player and great for rotation. I'd rather not go into the season with Matthews, Perry, Neal and then ????? I know we had some guys on IR, but to me, they're just guys. and if we don't score a legit ILB, and Matthews is there again, where does that leave us at OLB without Peppers????

I'm not sure what they do at linebacker, I wouldn't be surprised to see them take OLB over ILB if there's a better prospect where they're picking.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I don't know that they'll restructure. I'd like them too, but it takes 2. It's not as if he didn't earn his money last year. He had decent numbers, but he was disruptive and a great addition last year. He was on a snap count this year, I imagine early and middle of next year he will be too.

By restructuring Peppers´ contract the Packers could still pay him the $9.5 million he´s due to earn this season but significantly reduced the cap hit for 2015.

I agree the Packers don´t have a lot of depth at OLB if Peppers isn´t back for next season. In this case Thompson would have to address the position in the offseason as well.

 

[Mondio]

I see, I cap man, I am not. that would make sense.

 

[El Guapo]

Peppers is the kind of player that I wouldn't mind paying the full contract value to next season. We know that he fits with the team, he's still immensely talented, and he's hungry for the elusive championship. That said, I'm sure that the team will at least approach him and his agent about restructuring his contract. Why wouldn't they at least try....

 

[Sunshinepacker]

I think it comes down to whether the Packers get a player they think can reliably play ILB. If they don't, then Matthews has to continue playing some ILB and the Packers then need a reliable OLB to take Matthews' place. If the Packers DO land an ILB through some means then I think the Packers have the leverage to get Peppers to restructure his deal. With no new ILB that could start right away I would imagine Peppers knows that the Packers can't afford to let him go.

 

[PackerDNA]

Absolutely bring back Peppers. He's a difference maker, not only in his own play, but in how he makes players around him better and in how he gives the Packers more options.
And there is no need to redo his contract either.

 

[GoPGo]

I think they'll restructure and he'll be back. No team will pay him $12M so he will have no choice but to restructure. And even though he's not the same guy he was in 2008, he's still a veteran leader, which this team needs.

 

[Mondio]

I don't think we're paying 12 mil either, isn't that including bonus already paid, so it's what counts against the cap?

 

[Vrill]

My only concern with Peppers, is that hes at the age now where any given season could be the start of that downward slide in overall production. So we need to be very careful here. Yes, I'd like to see him back, but at a cheaper price.

 

[Poppa San]

IMO he's back next season with no contract change. He's in the one year rental part and has not shown a reason to cut him. Yes he is a bit costly but I do not see a replacement on the roster. Any draft or FA's are guesses.

 

[TeamTundra]

Restructuring doesn't necessarily mean the player takes a paycut. The Packers
Could add additional years to the contract to spread the signing bonus over
A longer time span, reducing the 2015 cap hit.

IMO I thought Peppers was our best player on defense and I would expect
Him to be back next year.

 

[Half Empty]

I don't think we're paying 12 mil either, isn't that including bonus already paid, so it's what counts against the cap?

Haven't figured out to line things up on this forum, but the basics are that yes, the signing bonus has been paid, but it counts against the cap. Next year's cap hit is 12 mil with 5 mil dead money. 2016 is 10.5 mil, 2.5 dead.

Year Base Salary Signing Bonus Roster Bonus Workout Bonus Cap Hit Dead Cap
2014

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$1,000,000 $2,500,000 - - $3,500,000 $7,500,000
2015

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$8,500,000 $2,500,000 $500,000 $500,000 $12,000,000 $5,000,000
2016

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$7,000,000 $2,500,000 $500,000 $500,000 $10,500,000 $2,500,000

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I think it comes down to whether the Packers get a player they think can reliably play ILB. If they don't, then Matthews has to continue playing some ILB and the Packers then need a reliable OLB to take Matthews' place. If the Packers DO land an ILB through some means then I think the Packers have the leverage to get Peppers to restructure his deal. With no new ILB that could start right away I would imagine Peppers knows that the Packers can't afford to let him go.

While moving Matthews inside improved the defense significantly the Packers have to bring in a true ILB.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

While moving Matthews inside improved the defense significantly the Packers have to bring in a true ILB.

You will get no argument from me on that. However, Thompson historically has not emphasized drafting ILB early and, despite the Peppers signing, I don't think most expect Thompson to go out and get a certifiable starter in free agency. We also have no idea what the staff thinks of Carl Bradford's chances of starting next year. So, if Thompson doesn't draft an ILB early then it would be doubtful that player would be able to start right away, and if they don't get a starter in free agency or the draft, then you're relying on improvement from within OR Matthews is back to starting at ILB on running downs and Peppers needs to be back to play OLB.

I would also add that if the Packers can draft someone like Malcolm Brown, an impact NT, then we all might be surprised at how much better our current ILBs are with a guy in front keeping blockers off them.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

You will get no argument from me on that. However, Thompson historically has not emphasized drafting ILB early and, despite the Peppers signing, I don't think most expect Thompson to go out and get a certifiable starter in free agency. We also have no idea what the staff thinks of Carl Bradford's chances of starting next year. So, if Thompson doesn't draft an ILB early then it would be doubtful that player would be able to start right away, and if they don't get a starter in free agency or the draft, then you're relying on improvement from within OR Matthews is back to starting at ILB on running downs and Peppers needs to be back to play OLB.

I would also add that if the Packers can draft someone like Malcolm Brown, an impact NT, then we all might be surprised at how much better our current ILBs are with a guy in front keeping blockers off them.

While Thompson hasn´t drafted ILB early in the draft I expect him to do that this year. Good point about an impact NT.

 

[thisisnate]

I've decided that Carl Bradford is our secret weapon. He's been training 14 hours a day in a facility beneath Lambeau and been fed nothing but raw eggs and spinach. They play death metal while he sleeps and spray him with a firehose any time his speed drops below 4.6 level while drilling.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

I've decided that Carl Bradford is our secret weapon. He's been training 14 hours a day in a facility beneath Lambeau and been fed nothing but raw eggs and spinach. They play death metal while he sleeps and spray him with a firehouse any time his speed drops below 4.6 level while drilling.

Hopefully he's been using a ton of that Deer Antler Spray or whatever Ray Lewis used...if it turned Ray Lewis from a shadow of his former self back into his former self, imagine what it could do to a younger guy? After thinking this through I fully expect Bradford to be the JJ Watt of ILBs next season and if he's not I will deem him a bust and it will mean Thompson's draft last year was awful.