Midnight Watch: Will Peppers Land with the Patriots?

The Julius Peppers Rumors Have Been Ongoing for over a Year

The event Patriots fans have waited nearly two months since the end of the season for will finally come to fruition, as NFL free agency will commence at midnight tonight.  That being said, one name that keeps being connected to New England is that of defensive end/outside linebacker Julius Peppers.

Julius Pepper is an athletic freak who can wreak havoc rushing the passer, take on double teams against the run, and is fluid enough with his basketball background to drop back in coverage.  But you already know this.  The big question is, will Julius Peppers land with the New England Patriots shortly after the clock strikes midnight tonight?

While I obviously can’t answer this yet, I can give you some food for thought.  There are only two players that I can remember being linked to the Patriots as much as Julius Peppers has.  The first was Randy Moss.  Back in 2006, around the trade deadline, there were plenty of rumors of how Randy Moss might wind up in New England.  While it ultimately didn’t happen that time around, during the draft in 2007, Moss was shipped for a fourth round pick.  The second player was Derrick Burgess.  The Patriots were a team whose name you heard back before the draft last year.  While the Patriots didn’t pull the trigger on a trade back then, they did at the start of August.  Does this mean that the Patriots will make a blockbuster offer to Peppers once the clock strikes midnight?  Not necessarily, but it certainly seems like the Patriots will be a contender for his services.

Lets also take a look at the top four “contenders” for Peppers’ services.  The four teams most commonly mentioned are the Redskins, Eagles, Bears, and the Patriots.  From early indications, it seems that the Redskins and the Bears may be willing to break the bank for Peppers.  However, Julius Peppers is 30 years old, and at this point in his career, he may be looking to win a championship.  While there are things I like about both of those teams, neither is ready to compete for a Super Bowl title just yet (although I don’t think the Redskins are as far away as most people think).  So if Peppers is looking to win now, that leaves the Patriots and the Eagles as his top two options, assuming he is willing to take a pay cut.  There are three things that I think could sway his mind towards New England.  First, the Patriots are running the 3-4.  Julius Peppers, in the past, has made it public that he would like to play for a 3-4 team.  Second, the Patriots are in the AFC, and I think that Peppers wants that type of fresh start.  Finally, the Patriots have been there before.  They’ve won it all.

If Peppers is willing to take a slightly lower contract, around $12-$13 million a year (a deal at four years and $50-$55 million), I think he could be the key piece to another New England Patriots Super Bowl title.  If the Patriots had swung a deal for Peppers last season, I wouldn’t have been shocked to see the Patriots win it all.  If Peppers is signed, the Patriots immediately become a top 5 team in the NFL again.  If Peppers can put it all together, give 100%, he is the missing ingredient the Patriots need.

Logistically, I don’t know if the Patriots can offer that blockbuster contract t0 Peppers.  They are still finalizing a long term deal with Vince Wilfork.  They have extensions to work on with Tom Brady and Logan Mankins.  But when there’s smoke, there’s fire.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see Peppers in a Patriots uniform in 24 hours.  However, I certainly wouldn’t be surprised to see him in another.  There’s just over 12 hours until the new league year begins.  Get ready.