Packers sign defensive end Julius Peppers to three-year dealGreen Bay — Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson finally jumped out of his comfort zone and made a big splash in free agency. 
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Less than a week into the official start of free agency, Thompson went after older veteran Julius Peppers, much like he signed Charles Woodson eight years ago, providing the impetus for the Packers to win a Super Bowl.
ESPN reported that the eight-time Pro Bowl selection signed a three-year deal totaling $30 million maximum, $7.5 million of which is guaranteed. The first-year salary is $8.5 million.
The way the deal is structured it may very well be a one-year experiment given the guaranteed portion is relatively modest. It is a downright bargain compared with the $20 million guaranteed DeMarcus Ware received to sign with the Denver Broncos after Dallas released him.
The Packers did not make the 34-year-old Peppers available to the media, but he told their team website that he was looking forward to proving himself with the Packers.
"I have a lot left in the tank," he said. "I have a lot left to give, a lot left to offer. I want to show people I can still play the game at a high level."
The salary cap hit for Peppers appears to be around $3.5 million, which is extremely reasonable if accurate. It would leave the Packers about $17 million under the cap with five of their own free agents secured over the last week.
As word of his signing spread, Packers players reacted approvingly.
"Looking forward to line up next to / learn from one of the best pass rushers, Julius Peppers #SackTime Still complaining about free agency??" end Mike Daniels said.
"So we get Julius Peppers!!! LOL and we got BJ back...and we already got some dawgs!!! Well damn let the hunting begin!!!" linebacker Mike Neal said.
Peppers, who is three years older than Reggie White was when he signed with the Packers in 1993, led the Chicago Bears with seven sacks last season and may be one of the best athletes to play the defensive end position in a generation or so.
At 6 feet 7 inches and 287 pounds, Peppers can play end in the 3-4 or pass-rushing tackle in the nickel package. He can be moved around the line and play next to linebacker Clay Matthews or opposite him.
The signing of Peppers comes a day after the Packers re-signed nose tackle B.J. Raji to a one-year, $4 million deal. The roster of linemen now consists of Raji, Peppers, Daniels, Josh Boyd, Datone Jones and Jerel Worthy.
The height and weight of those linemen are 6-2, 337 (Raji); 6-0, 300 (Daniels); 6-3, 310 (Boyd); 6-4, 285 (Jones), and 6-2, 304 (Worthy). It is probably the most athletic group the Packers have had since coordinator Dom Capers came aboard in 2009 and shows the emphasis coach Mike McCarthy is putting on adding tall, athletic ends to the roster.
Peppers always has preferred playing in a 3-4 defense. In 2009 when he was on his way out of Carolina, where he was playing in a 4-3, his agent, Carl Carey, was quoted as saying Peppers "feels that he can excel and thrive in a 3-4 defense."
And so Capers probably won't need to be too creative in finding ways to keep Peppers happy. But the Packers may have to find a way to keep Peppers motivated.
He is a player who has been charged by some with not giving great effort on every play, but he did play an extraordinary number of snaps for the Bears and still managed to lead them in sacks most years.
Peppers will be reunited with defensive line coach Mike Trgovac, who was Peppers' defensive coordinator in Carolina for six seasons. Peppers left Carolina on bad terms, but it doesn't appear that a rift between Peppers and Trgovac was the reason.
In discussing how he might be used in the Packers' defense, Peppers said he expected it to be different from what he was doing.
"I'm going to let Coach McCarthy deal with questions about the position and the scheme," Peppers said. "I'm not really sure. We haven't talked in detail about what the plan is going to be for me, but I can say it's going to be something different."
In 12 seasons, Peppers has 1181/2 sacks and has had fewer than seven in only one season. In the last three years, he has 291/2.
However, he also was part of a putrid Bears run defense that ranked last in the NFL and allowed 5.3 yards per carry last year. The Bears were devoid of talent at defensive tackle and there was a lot of pressure on Peppers.
"I'm a pass rusher, so that's going to be a big part of what I can do," Peppers said. "Play hard and have an impact in every game."
Peppers was set to receive a base salary of $13.9 million in 2014 and count $18.183 million against the cap under his Bears contract. Rather than reach an agreement to lessen his salary cap number, the Bears released Peppers on March 11.
During his four years with the Bears, his team finished 2-7 against the Packers, including six losses in a row, one of which was an NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field. Peppers had 61/2 sacks in his five last games against the Packers but said he would be glad not to face quarterback Aaron Rodgers anymore.
"The teams that have the good quarterbacks are the teams that win," he said. "That obviously factored into some of my decision-making. I'm looking forward to playing with Aaron. As much as I disliked chasing him around, I'm excited to join him."
This is the second-highest contract Thompson has handed to a free agent from another team behind Woodson's seven-year, $39 million deal signed in 2006. Woodson's first-year salary was around $10 million compared to Peppers' $8.5 million.
In four years playing for the Bears, Peppers started all 64 games and totaled 371/2 sacks. He made the Pro Bowl his first three years but did not make it in 2013. His 1181/2 sacks are the 17th-most in NFL history. He was drafted by the Panthers as the second overall pick in the 2002 NFL draft out of North Carolina.
Peppers earned $53.5 million with the Bears.
As the Packers were adding Peppers, one of their own free agents, running back James Starks, was drawing interest. According to a source, Starks has a visit set with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday.
The demand for running backs this time of year isn't what it used to be, but the market may begin to thaw in Week 2 of free agency.
This weekend, Ben Tate reached a two-year deal with the Cleveland Browns worth about $7 million. Backup Toby Gerhart also signed a three-year, $10.5 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
While another source indicated earlier this off-season that Green Bay would like to bring Starks back, the need isn't as pressing with Eddie Lacy, Johnathan Franklin and DuJuan Harris returning. The Packers also re-signed Michael Hill this off-season.
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