Panthers Intent On Holding Onto Peppers

Despite the impasse with franchise player Julius Peppers, who has requested a trade, the Carolina Panthers remain certain that the star defensive end will play for the team again. Peppers hasn’t signed his one-year, $16.7 million tender, but Panthers General Manager Marty Hurney expressed confidence that Peppers won’t hold out of training camp and will eventually return to the team, according to the Associated Press. Under NFL rules governing franchise players, Peppers isn’t required to report to camp or attend offseason activities until he signs his franchise tender. “We’ve known Julius for seven years, and it has been a good seven years,” Hurney told reporters during the Panthers’ draft press conference. “I think he knows how we feel, and we feel like he’s been happy here. And again, nothing has changed. “We franchised him, and when we did we knew there was a period for the process to take place. When that process goes through then he’s going to be back.” Hurney added that he hasn’t been approached by other teams with trade offers for Peppers. Because of the high salary-cap impact caused by the commitment to Peppers, the Panthers have been blocked from participating in free agency other than re-signing left offensive tackle Jordan Gross to a contract extension prior to the free agent signing period.