Could Peppers Be a Patriot?

Julius Peppers has already broken up with the Carolina Panthers, but his divorce is not yet finalized. The Pro Bowler and standout defensive end has made it tough for the Panthers to strike a deal that will be desirable for both parties involved in this messy split, but there is one AFC team that would possibly be willing to take in this outspoken and disgruntled NFL player: the New England Patriots.

According to Peppers’ list of obligations for a team he’d agree to be traded to, he will accept a deal with only one of four NFL teams. The Dallas Cowboys are one of those teams, and there are two more in the NFC, but there is also one unnamed AFC team that Peppers has his eye on. Is this team the Patriots? While it’s too soon to say, the Pats just cleared more than $18 million in salary cap money in a recent deal that got rid of both quarterback Matt Cassel and outside linebacker Mike Vrabel – enough money to write Peppers his $16.7 million paycheck in 2009. On top of this, Peppers has expressed a desire to work with one of the best teams in the league with a shot at winning a Super Bowl, and the DE is also interested in working with a 3-4 defensive scheme. The Patriots undoubtedly fit this mold, and since the Panthers would rather trade Peppers to an AFC team rather than an NFC team, the Peppers trade to New England could be considered in the very near future.

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