Merged X3: The Official Julius Peppers Thread

[Spesh]

you would rather have dumerville (1 year of success), suggs!!!? and mathis over peppers? How does Dumerville do against the run? Is suggs ever healthy? How good is Mathis without Freeney? It's not hard to rush the passer when the team fears the man on your opposite side. And you would not want woodley over peppers, I really don't believe that

Not going to go into my usual point by point shredding, but 2 things ill point out:
Dumerville has had 43 sacks in 4 years. Keep in mind, that was with a new defensive coach every year. It's easier to argue that he had 1 year that wasnt successful then it would be to say the opposite(rookie: 8.5 sacks, 07: 12.5 sacks, 08: 5 sacks, 09: 17 sacks). Just because espn finally figured him out, hardly makes him a 1 year wonder.
So you demand to know what "pass rushers!" would be considered better and your rebuttle is "...how well is he against the run?".

When any of those players i listed are talked about, people never say "oh...what could have been" or "they take plays off", yet thats all we hear about Peppers. Consistency and Versatility are so key to being a 3-4 linebacker...and Peppers lacks both at the moment.
With a draft coming up that is oozing with defensive potential, i really dont understand why people are so deadset on grabbing overhyped players.

 

[NY8123]

How about we just "Stop the Sign Peppers" bs.

 

[Miamifin23]

spesh you said it well, oozing with defensive potential... potential is the key word. And we can't address all of our needs in this draft. Its clear we need a #1 receiver, NT, OLB, ILB, and S. My point in this thread wasn't a sign Peppers at all cost, I'm just pointing out that this guy will have no problem at switching to an OLB in a 3-4, if we're talking free agents that I would like to sign, I would much rather dump a lot of money into Dansby and trade for Boldin but thats just me.

 

[*Demi*God*]

you would rather have dumerville (1 year of success), suggs!!!? and mathis over peppers? How does Dumerville do against the run? Is suggs ever healthy? How good is Mathis without Freeney? It's not hard to rush the passer when the team fears the man on your opposite side. And you would not want woodley over peppers, I really don't believe that

Um your argument is null and void after that statement I made bold...up until last year Suggs NEVER...let me repeat..NEVER missed a game...

 

[Spesh]

spesh you said it well, oozing with defensive potential... potential is the key word. And we can't address all of our needs in this draft. Its clear we need a #1 receiver, NT, OLB, ILB, and S. My point in this thread wasn't a sign Peppers at all cost, I'm just pointing out that this guy will have no problem at switching to an OLB in a 3-4, if we're talking free agents that I would like to sign, I would much rather dump a lot of money into Dansby and trade for Boldin but thats just me.

And potential is all your talking about when it comes to Peppers, for the man has never played the position in question. Peppers has had exactly the same amount of experience and success at 3-4 linebacker in the NFL as all those rookies coming out, which is to say: none.

You are saying "the guy will have no problem switching" when there is absolutely no evidence of that. Could he more than likely do it? It's possible, he is certainly athletic enough. But to say, beyond question, that the guy can do it is inaccurate. Jonathan Vilma is an athletic enough human being, is a stand out 4-3 middle linebacker, and struggled mightly in a 3-4(hence, why he was traded). Joey Porter is a professional athlete, yet was awful as a 4-3 outside linebacker.

It's understood this team has holes, we went 1-15 years back and have drafts upon drafts that were complete busts, not a single player from them is around. Time and Patience is the only thing that fixes the holes, not kneejerk reactions and overspending on players that don't fit your scheme's(or have even played the position). We've all seen how successful Girbil Wilson has been on his switch to FS...

 

[kwansolo]

Why should the questions stop? He's never played in a 3-4, I think that's a legit concern. For all we know, a 3-4 team could sign him and Peppers would look like a chicken with it's head cut off in the scheme.

Not to be a smartazz but that is why you have coaches on each team. :crazy:

 

[Ferretsquig]

And potential is all your talking about when it comes to Peppers, for the man has never played the position in question. Peppers has had exactly the same amount of experience and success at 3-4 linebacker in the NFL as all those rookies coming out, which is to say: none.

You are saying "the guy will have no problem switching" when there is absolutely no evidence of that. Could he more than likely do it? It's possible, he is certainly athletic enough. But to say, beyond question, that the guy can do it is inaccurate. Jonathan Vilma is an athletic enough human being, is a stand out 4-3 middle linebacker, and struggled mightly in a 3-4(hence, why he was traded). Joey Porter is a professional athlete, yet was awful as a 4-3 outside linebacker.

There is an abundance of evidence backing up the theory that Peppers can play the position. Just watch him play. He far better in coverage than Porter, Wake, or any other LB on this team.

Peppers does take plays/games/seasons off, and I agree with the people who claim he doesn't have the overwhelming love for the game. But at the same time he can be the most disruptive force in the league. Switching positions should keep him interested for a couple seasons at least, which is about all you're going to get out of him anyways.

 

[ryanENGLISH0]

His teammates say he has all the talent in the world but no passion for the game, which leads people to believe that once he gets paid, THATS IT! Julius Peppers is a guy who would be happy with what hes done in his career and call it in. Now, all he wants is to get paid. I bet if he hit the lottery, he would quit football.

 

[dolpns13]

His teammates say he has all the talent in the world but no passion for the game, which leads people to believe that once he gets paid, THATS IT! Julius Peppers is a guy who would be happy with what hes done in his career and call it in. Now, all he wants is to get paid. I bet if he hit the lottery, he would quit football.

Cant believe his teammates sold him out like that. Theyre probably sick of all the drama, and his inconsistency.

 

[Spesh]

There is an abundance of evidence backing up the theory that Peppers can play the position. Just watch him play. He far better in coverage than Porter, Wake, or any other LB on this team.

Peppers does take plays/games/seasons off, and I agree with the people who claim he doesn't have the overwhelming love for the game. But at the same time he can be the most disruptive force in the league. Switching positions should keep him interested for a couple seasons at least, which is about all you're going to get out of him anyways.

Dropping back into coverage a handful of times over a period of close to a decade would hardly fill me with confidence that he could do it whenever we needed him to at anytime. Don't get me wrong, one of my favorite football plays happened with Peppers picking a ball off(Rod Smith chased him down close a 100 yards to strip it after everyone else on the field gave up), and i've admitted he is athletic enough to have a chance at pulling it off, but why fit a square peg in a round hole? Why overpay a player that gives up for months at a time? Why rely on someone who has proven over and over again he can't be relied upon? I simply don't see the appeal of Julius Peppers.

And for the record, i feel Jason Taylor is better in coverage then Peppers, and yes, anyone on this team at the moment. Assuming someone can take it to the next level is a dangerous(and often costly) assumption.

 

[dgb11112]

Lets See

New position over 30 and Wants a truckload of money. In my opinion I think there are tohers that are worth more for less money. We could take care of @ least 2 position WR and ILB for what he would want. You say he is a dominant rusher well how do we know, he has nver played in a 3-4 defense.

 

[LarryLittle]

Are you willing to give a min. 17 mil. a year to a guy who Does not have the character of JT,but has been classified as lazy and you are asking him to learn a new position?I want a team, a team is the key,people who believe in a group effort to win a superbowl. We went 17-0 one year,the only perfect season ever. What did we have a team,we won most of our games with a backup qb. We were the greatest team ever,We will get back to our rightful place this year as we have a greatg gm who knows how to build champions

 

[Ferretsquig]

Dropping back into coverage a handful of times over a period of close to a decade would hardly fill me with confidence that he could do it whenever we needed him to at anytime. Don't get me wrong, one of my favorite football plays happened with Peppers picking a ball off(Rod Smith chased him down close a 100 yards to strip it after everyone else on the field gave up), and i've admitted he is athletic enough to have a chance at pulling it off, but why fit a square peg in a round hole? Why overpay a player that gives up for months at a time? Why rely on someone who has proven over and over again he can't be relied upon? I simply don't see the appeal of Julius Peppers.

There's more evidence of Peppers' coverage capabilities than those of Porter, Merriman, Roth, Dumervil, and a host of other 3-4 OLBs. How many times last year did you see Porter drop back into coverage?

The appeal is that Peppers can be the most dominant defensive player in the league and do things that no other is capable of. Its true that its a risk, but the potential reward is a defensive transformation. I never got the impression that his effort was based on his desire for a paycheck, more that being so gifted he simply gets bored.

 

[Zounds]

Peppers is a high-risk/low reward player if he came to the 3-4 in Miami, and our brass has shown they don't roll the dice on high profile free agents. There's really nothing to debate about it, and thats all I got for this crappy fool's thread.

 

[Spesh]

The appeal is that Peppers can be the most dominant defensive player in the league and do things that no other is capable of. Its true that its a risk, but the potential reward is a defensive transformation. I never got the impression that his effort was based on his desire for a paycheck, more that being so gifted he simply gets bored.

When he feels like it, or when he is lucky, or when the planets align properly....no one knows. Some insist he takes plays off, some insist he doesn't have a high motor, i personally just think hes an inconsistent player that(like you said) gets bored and doesnt care enough to improve his craft. Alas, thats just speculation, just as you are speculating that switching positions will keep him interested.
I wouldnt want to pay a player boatloads of money(which it will take, undoubtably more then Dansby or someone that fits our scheme will want) that produces so erratically. Worse than the paycheck: i wouldn't want to rely on someone so inconsistent when games are on the line in must win situations.

I consider dominate players people that i can rely on in crunch time. I look at the DeMarcus Wares and Jared Allens of the league. Guys who go out and play hard everyday and produce at a consistently high level.
I end where i began: why fit a square peg in a round hole? Why overpay for a player that has never even sniffed a scheme like ours? And why rely on someone that is so utterly inconsistent just because hes "athletic"?

Instead of labeling a few great games as dominate, you could label his career as a few other words: woulda, coulda, shoulda.