 NFL.com is reporting that Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers signed a one-year, $16.7 million franchise tender Wednesday, five months after the four-time Pro Bowler requested a trade. Peppers, who is the team’s all-time sacks leader, should be present for the start of training camp in August. Following the Panthers January playoff loss to the Arizona Cardinals, Peppers insisted that he would never sign a long-term contract with the Panthers and pleaded for them to not place the restrictive franchise tag on him, which the team did anyway. The Panthers had to give Peppers a contract that would pay him more than $1 million per game, but any team interested in signing him would need to give up two first-round draft picks. This situation has limited the number of teams willing to make a deal to acquire Peppers. Peppers initially refused to sign the tender or attend off-season mini-camps and optional workouts, but is now willing to sign with the Panthers after realizing his options are limited. In addition to the $16.7 million in guaranteed money, Peppers could earn $1.5 million if he makes the Pro Bowl along with $250,000 for each playoff win, giving him one of the highest one-year contracts in the history of the NFL. The 6-foot-7, 283 lbs Peppers was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2002 draft out of North Carolina, and recorded a career-high 14.5 sacks in 2008. That followed a sub-par 2007 season when Peppers had only 2.5 sacks and the team did not make the playoffs.
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