Analyzing Julius Peppers to the Green Bay Packers

By Matt Johnson on Saturday, March 15th 2014
Analyzing Julius Peppers to the Green Bay Packers

It feels strange to type but the Green Bay Packers and Ted Thompson have agreed to contract terms with a free agent that didn’t play for them last season. On Saturday morning, it was announced the team signed Julius Peppers to a three-year deal.

Thompson has been looking for help on the defensive line throughout the offseason; the team had interest in Lamarr Houston, Arthur Jones, Justin Tuck among others. But the Packers fell short in their early pursuits until over the past 24 hours. Green Bay brought back nose tackle B.J. Raji on a one-year deal to try and prove himself again, and now they bring in the former Bear who terrorized them for the past four seasons.

Even after signing Raji, the Packers had over $20 million in cap space, which helped them in the pursuit of Peppers, who was cut by the Bears on March 11. Green Bay was able to sneak him into town without even a hint of a rumor and let him talk with coaches and tour the stadium. Then Peppers’ agent announced this morning he had signed with the Packers’ on a three-year deal worth $30 million.

But while $30 million may seem like a major overpay for a 34-year-old defensive end who didn’t always seem to be playing hard last season, the contract breaks down quite well for Green Bay. Only $7.5 million of the deal is guaranteed, with Peppers set to make $8.5 million in the first year. The limited guaranteed money would allow the Packers to cut him after the 2014 season if things don’t work out and not have to take a significant cap hit.

The acquisition of Peppers means a lot of things for Dom Capers’ defense heading into the 2014 season. Head coach Mike McCarthy said the team is sticking with the 3-4 but wants to make changes with some of the fronts and bring in more athleticism. They are already moving Raji back to nose tackle, re-signed Mike Neal and will shift him back to the defensive line after playing outside linebacker last season, and now Peppers brings another piece to the puzzle.

This will be Peppers’ first time in a 3-4 defense but he has expressed in the past he has wanted to play in one. At 34, Peppers is past the point where he can be an every-down starter at defensive end. But he still has enough athleticism so that the Packers can move him around in different situations. He could line up at defensive end on the same side as Clay Matthews or he could get snaps at outside linebacker opposite of Matthews.

Capers will be sure to manage his snap counts to where he is the most effective and fresh, and this will also help young guys like Datone Jones, Mike Daniels and Neal. Peppers has enough in the tank to thrive as a situational pass-rusher andd could help bring back more of the Packers “psycho” package.

There are concerns about Peppers’ motor and just how much Green Bay can get out of him next season. One thing Green Bay has going for him is defensive line coach Mike Trgovac, who was Peppers’ defensive coordinator in Carolina where he had his best season.

Overall, it’s a very good move for the Packers as long as Peppers can stay healthy and motivated. Green Bay doesn’t take much risk beyond this season and they are taking a good chance to try and improve their defense. Ted Thompson waited patiently and struck when he found the right deal, now we’ll see if he can hit on a safety in the draft.

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