PEPPERS WANTS TO PLAY IN A 3-4 DEFENSE

Defensive end Julius Peppers doesn’t want to play for the Panthers. He apparently also doesn’t want to play for any team that uses a 4-3 defense. “He certainly feels that he can excel and thrive in a 3-4 defense,” agent Carl Carey said Saturday. This narrows significantly the field of potential suitors, and reduces Peppers’ overall leverage. So maybe a 3-4 defensive isn’t a dealbreaker. “He is also open to just another system in general that will allow him to maximize his athletic abilities,” Carey added. It’s unclear whether Peppers envisions himself a defensive end or a linebacker in a 3-4 set. As a linebacker, he’d assume a three-point stance and rush the quarterback on passing downs. As a defensive end, his role on many plays would be to tie up blockers so that linebackers could pursue the ball. Also on Saturday, the Panthers responded to Peppers’ public effort to leave the team. “Obviously, Carl’s comments are disappointing,” G.M. Marty Hurney said. “We have consistently reiterated to Carl in a number of ways how much we value Julius, and we plan to continue having ongoing communications.” Peppers’ stance virtually guarantees that the Panthers will apply the franchise tag to Peppers, and then the Panthers likely will trade him to a new team, which would sign him to a monster deal.