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The Curious Case of Julius Peppers

In the post you can find here, Keith at In The Bullseye makes a good pitch for why the Texans may be in the hunt for Panthers DE Julius Peppers.

Quick points from the article -

  • The Texans have cleared an additional $8 million of cap space in the last two weeks, and saved $15 million in cash.
  • Releasing Weaver BEFORE free agency means they have someone in mind, either in free agency (or the draft) who is going to step in and start at LE.
  • Rick Smith has been stalling with guaranteed money, franchising Dunta, asking DeMeco to wait, and probably tendering Owen Daniels instead of getting him the long term deal, thus giving him wiggle room to make a move for Peppers.
  • DeMeco Ryans implied in his disgruntled interview that there was a possible "big move" coming in free agency.
  • The Texans seem to be stockpiling draft picks, looking to get a 4th for Sage, and Keith mentions in the article that they were looking to move Jacoby Jones for a pick as well.

It is significantly longer than this, but it makes some very valid points. Go click on the link up top, read through, and tell us what you think in the comments. In all honesty, I think it is a possibility.

 

Poll
If Julius Peppers would be excited to come to the Texans, would you trade our 1st, 3rd, and 6th round picks for him?
Heck yeah I would!
136 votes
No. Absolutely Not.
207 votes

343 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs  |  Comment 24 comments |

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Comments

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I like the way you think

I’d take those three picks for Pep. including the #15 overall. Lets make it happen!

I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com

by Jaxon on Feb 26, 2009 7:23 AM CST reply actions   0 recs

1,4,6

i think if we can do it using a 1 4 and 6 (assuming the sag deal occurs and we get a 4 back) then we got to do it…

by EveryHoustonTeamRox! on Feb 26, 2009 7:23 AM CST reply actions   0 recs

Definitely

Maybe.

When I'm on the mic, I'm like global warming, you can't ignore me.

by tehGrindCrusher on Feb 26, 2009 7:40 AM CST reply actions   0 recs

Long Look

I certainly think the Texans need to take a long look at this as this unfolds (that goes without saying). The only negative: I can remember the years where we didn’t have many draft picks (thanks Casserly)!

If all the stars align…DO IT!!

by TintheH on Feb 26, 2009 8:36 AM CST reply actions   0 recs

If they do it, which I'm still unsure about,

I hope the have a plan for re-stocking with draft picks. And trading Mario doesn’t count.

When I'm on the mic, I'm like global warming, you can't ignore me.

by tehGrindCrusher on Feb 26, 2009 9:33 AM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Here's how I look at it

If we were to pick a guy with Peppers’ ability with pick 15 and the guys we took with our 3rd and 6th didn’t pan out, would you call it as a successful draft? I say yes.

Of course, this ignores any financial implications or if it’s even legal to trade a 1, 3, and 6 for a franchised player. I thought you had to trade two first round picks? Then I’m not sure it’s worth it. First round picks are expected to be impact players, so giving up the opportunity for two of them is tough.

by Vega on Feb 26, 2009 9:54 AM CST reply actions   0 recs

I'm no expert

but if he’s franchised, he’s not under contract, so this hypothetical would require a sign first then trade, and the sign part of that would nullify the tag requirements.

Also, the two firsts is compensation for signing a tagged player from another team, not completing an agreed upon trade.

But what do I know…

Smushiak will take us to the playoffs in 2009.

by texanphil on Feb 27, 2009 5:48 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

as much as peppers would be amazing to watch in a texans uniform

i think we have way too many needs on defense to give up that much. trading that many picks is a move a team makes when they have one missing piece, not a bunch.

by cubic on Feb 26, 2009 10:17 AM CST reply actions   1 recs

Not gonna happen

Peppers will never be a Texan and for good reason. $30 mil guaranteed and all those draft picks when we have so many other needs and three pro bowl caliber players needing to be locked up (OD, Demeco, Dunta) makes this a virtual impossibility. The only free agent I’d like to see us pursue is Arizona DE Antonio Smith. He’s not great, but seems to be in his prime and has actually mustered up some sacks in his career. Add to that he’s never played opposite a talent like Mario and he’s the only free agent even worth consideration. Since there isn’t a DE for the Texans scheme that would be worth our 1st rounder, if the price is right, I’m on the Antonio Smith bandwagon. If, in the million to 1 chance that we do pursue Peppers, it’s going to hurt this team for years to come

by DocTexan on Feb 26, 2009 10:26 AM CST reply actions   1 recs

Doc, if you haven’t seen this already – you’ll be happy to see it.

by HoustonDiehards on Feb 26, 2009 10:47 AM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Chris, it was the article on your site that made me put some serious thought into this. I love your site, keep up the great work!

by DocTexan on Feb 26, 2009 12:45 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

No, hell no, and no.

Everyone thinks he’s such a sure thing to be great in Houston. Let’s not forget that he was a dog year before last – you know, the year that wasn’t his contract year.

Four the bevy of draft picks and HUGE contract it would cost, it better be a guy that you have fewer questions about.

Oh, let’s also not forget that he’s a piece of a crap and a malcontent for holding a gun to his team’s head. A lot of people are mad at Dunta for what he’s said in public – and that isn’t even one-tenth as bad as what Peppers is doing to Carolina – who has literally done everything in their power to make this big bitch happy.

I don’t want any part of him. Too expensive. Not too old – but too old for a long-term deal and the 30 million-plus guaranteed it would cost. Too much of a malcontent. Too much of a risk for him to go in the tank like he did in 2007.

by HoustonDiehards on Feb 26, 2009 10:45 AM CST reply actions   2 recs

I agree.

That’s why I was the first vote “No”. Anyone who throws their team under the bus like that is a jerk in my opinion.

by Riott on Feb 26, 2009 12:20 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Update: Daniels tendered, not resigned

As reported by Chris at his site. Another piece falls into place.

by Riott on Feb 26, 2009 12:23 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Worried

What worries me about this is that we also tendered OD not resigned. I’m just nervous and thinking that the Texans arent resigning in hopes to get the 1st and 3rd compensation for letting another team sign him away. Cause if they are making a play for Peppers they might be thinking that the compensation for OD will replace what we are giving up for Peppers. Dont know if that makes sense to anyone but me, but all the same I am worried, I like OD and think he is valuable to our offense.

If you aint Texans then F@!# You!!!!

by houstonbola on Feb 26, 2009 3:08 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Your question makes the assumption that he is excited to come to Houston

and if that truly were the case, the price tag still seems a bit steep. We have to pony up a boatload of cash and give up a 1 & a 3. I think this is too much, but more to the point I see him as only being excited about one thing and that is getting his huge contract. I have doubts that he will be motivated to give 100% until his the last year of his contract. Chris pointed out that he was a no show in 2007. He is also potential clubhouse poison. Two thumbs down. This guy is a disaster waiting to happen.

by oiler-texan diehard on Feb 26, 2009 3:45 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

I really don't like anything about this

Marquee free agent signings have never worked out for us, and I don’t see this being any different. I would go into the reasons, but a lot of you have done a good job describing some of them so I’ll skip to what would really disapoint me about this; it would be completely contradictory. All this talk of building your team through the draft, and repaying players for their performances and not for their potential would be proven false. I will always be a Texans fan, but if they do this deal before taking care of DeMeco and doing their best to give Dunta a long term deal (as long as he’s reasonable), Rick Smith will be exposed as disenginuine and I’ll find it hard to buy into what he says from then on. I can’t tell you how much I hope this doesn’t happen, not just because I think it would be bad for our record, but more because I like the character of this team, including the front office, and I really don’t want that to change.

Let's get the Texans a better fight song.

by Jake on Feb 26, 2009 4:44 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

I'm not really against the idea of marquee (top dollar) free agents per se, but Julius has too many red flags

I agree with TT that we need to take care of the guys that have proved their value on the field wearing Steel Blue (DeMeco, OD, Dunta) but we have cleared enough cap room to allow us to pursue free agents; yet having been burned in the past, caution must be exercised. I would not make a run at Haynesworth or Peppers because they seem like the guys that would take the contract and then play not to get hurt. I would have thrown top $$$ at scrabble, but the Raiders wisely F-tagged him. It is intrinsically safer to go after the mid-level guys and there are defensive linemen available who I think could help us; Chris Canty, Shaun Cody, maybe Bertrand Berry wants to come back home to Houston. I think Smith will sign a FA D-lineman before the draft, and then target another one in the 1st or 2nd round of the draft.

The start of the FA period tonight at 11PM local time should be full of activity. I look for us to make a few moves real soon.

by oiler-texan diehard on Feb 26, 2009 6:51 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

I would be more than ok

With mid level FA acquisitions, that’s to be expected. I was only talking about going after someone huge, but Peppers is even worse. Not only do we have to pay him a lot of $$$, but we have to dump a lot of draft picks just to get the right to pay an arm and a leg. I just hope that this whole thing is a rumor.

Let's get the Texans a better fight song.

by Jake on Feb 26, 2009 7:08 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Well said

I agree with what you and others have said about this not being the right move.

by Barrett on Feb 26, 2009 5:27 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

question about UFR

So say we did pick up Peppers, we would have to pay a 1 year 16 mill contract and 1st 4th and 6th pick?

by schillingb on Feb 26, 2009 9:20 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

No

We would inevitably end up signing him to a new deal, which would cost a ton of money. The fact that Haynesworth is going to get so much doesn’t help either.

Let's get the Texans a better fight song.

by Jake on Feb 27, 2009 12:26 AM CST up reply actions   0 recs

mmmm

I am split, So far drafting a defense front has not been to successful, but is throwing away that much money really worth it with a chance of losing other players…i think i am going to say no

by schillingb on Feb 27, 2009 7:00 AM CST up reply actions   0 recs

I don't think he's under contract right now, is he?

so I would imagine we’d require the signed contract and we’d see the terms before completing said trade. Like Myers last year w/Denver, I think.

Smushiak will take us to the playoffs in 2009.

by texanphil on Feb 27, 2009 5:52 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

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