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Jon Beason had something to say about Julius Peppers being a no-show at practice on Wednesday. He thinks that Peppers will love the new Carolina defense. Getting the all pro defensive end see it with his own eyes will be the hard part.
We all knew that he was not going to show for practice as he has made it known that he was not going to go. This is the start of three weeks of optional offseason workouts. It was also Beason’s first practice under the new defensive coordinator Ron Meeks. Beason who is coming off a injury in his shoulder that he had surgery on in the offseason.
"I know one thing: Pep is going to have a lot more freedom to let his God-given ability and his talent that he's fine-tuned over the years, to really showcase it," Beason said. "Pep is a freak, a special type of guy."
Peppers has not spoken to the media since January, when he said that he didn’t want to be in Carolina anymore, and that he wanted to move to outside linebacker in a 3-4 system and asked Carolina to let him go in free agency.
The Panthers didn’t seem to care about the threats by his agent Carl Carey and still put the franchise tag on Peppers who is there all time sacks leader. With the tender came a one year deal worth 16.7 million. With the tag on Peppers another team would have to give up two first round picks in a trade to get Peppers.
His agent Carey could not manage to find anyone suitor or arrange a trade for less than that. Now with the month of May almost over, Peppers options are becoming less and less. With that said he still has not signed his tender and refuses to talk to the team which has been going on for months. This puts Carolina in between a rock and a hard place because Peppers accounted for over 50% of there sacks last season and they still have no resolution to the situation.
Jon Beason, one of the only players that spoke to Peppers in the offseason, said that Peppers was in Arizona and that he has been working out. He plans on staying there until the start of training camp. Beason reamins confident that Peppers will eventually return to the team that used the second overall pick on him in the 2002 draft.
"I hope so. The way it's working out with the trades and all that stuff, it's getting late," Beason said. "So you can assume or hope that he is. He's said that if he is back, he's going to be ready to go."
When Peppers comes back he will be looking at a new defense with the new coordinator Meeks at the helm. Meeks was the Colts defensive coordinator the year before. He is familiar with having athletic defensive ends when he had Dwight Freeny and Robert Mathis. Meeks is giving his players more freedom than previous defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac, who left after the defense self-destructed late last season, including the 33-13 playoff loss to the Cardinals.
"Look at Dwight Freeney and Mathis that were in Indianapolis. They've had very productive careers," Panthers safety Chris Harris said. "Pep has already had a productive career, so I think it will work well."
The Panthers have not changed their views that they expect Peppers to be back for the start of training camp on Aug. 2. So far, Charles Johnson has stayed in the number one spot ahead of second-round pick Everette Brown and has worked with the first team in Peppers spot while he is not present on the right side, opposite Tyler Brayton.
Johnson and Brayton combined for 10.5 sacks last season. When Peppers had 14.5 alone in 2008
Beason said Peppers could even be more productive if he gives the Panthers and Meeks' defense a chance. "I think it allows the athletes we have on our defense to showcase that," Beason said. "That's going to be huge for us this year, just flying around and making plays."
Notes: The only veteran other than Peppers to be absent Wednesday was WR Muhsin Muhammad. The Panthers got half of their RB tandem back. DeAngelo Williams (hamstring) practiced after missing the earlier minicamp. Jonathan Stewart (ankle) remained sidelined. ... Harris, DT Damione Lewis and LB Na'il Diggs practiced after missing minicamp with shoulder injuries. ... The Panthers signed CB Reggie Sullivan of Johnson C. Smith and S Paul Chiara of Syracuse as undrafted free agents.
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