Reported on Yahoo Sports and NFL.com that the Patriots are trying to work out a deal to trade the 34th pick in the draft (2nd pick in 2nd round, from KC for Cassel).

THAT seems like the Panthers are settling for less than they can get from another team....admittedly one with LOTS of CAP room.
I'd love to see any other team (of course the Phins too) get in here and AT LEAST get the Patriots to give up their 1st round pick for a top-notch Defensive Lineman.

Interestingly, the Cheatriots are not allowed to negotiate the trade until Peppers is signed....yet, it's reported on NFL.com along with Yahoo.

his value is about the same as JTs was last year, so I'd say a 2d rounder sounds about right

He could take over for Vrabel or on the other side with A. Thomas switching to SOLB. Those would be two huge OLB's to block. Not good news for Jake Long, Vernon Carey and Fasano. It' a good thing Chad gets rid of the ball pretty well.

The only way to combat that is with matchups...with one of those guys covering a RB or fast TE. Maybe we need to look at one of the speedy TE's in this years draft.

Now we really need WR's that can get open quick....if this happens.

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“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

The more I think about it the more I hope they sign Peppers. It would be better for us since they would not be looking for an OLB early and they would be a couple draft picks short. At least the 34th overall.

That leaves one more pass rusher for us to choose from. It would also give the Pats two aging pass rushers. Thomas will be 32 and Peppers 29 for next season.

Thomas is a good player but has not been as effective as the Patriots would have liked. They even played him at LILB in 07. WTH?

Peppers would be learning a new scheme and position. I hope they sign him and go after an O-lineman to protect Brady.

This would increase our odds at getting Connor Barwin too.

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“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

They will get Peppers and then draft Maualuga to team up with Jerod Mayo.

Oh well, atleast their secondary still stinks. Will Bodden be healthy? Springs is now known as Mr. Burns. A very inexperienced and mistake prone Merriweather is all they have.

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"When you suck long enough, you get a Hickey"

Aqua&Orange Wrote:
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> They will get Peppers and then draft Maualuga to
> team up with Jerod Mayo.
>
We'll have to trade up just to prevent them from getting Maualuga!

Keep signing the aging vets and giving away your draft picks.

Some don't love Maualuga, but if we can trade up to get him, he's a guy you can build your defense around. It would be a significant move for us, one to shape our D for years to come.

I think I might do it just to save him from going to the Patriots.

I dont want to have to face Jerod Mayo, Rey Maualuga and Adalius Thomas for the next 10 years....and add in a Julius Peppers for the next 5.

Yeah, if RM falls that far, I say we jump ahead of them to pick him.

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"When you suck long enough, you get a Hickey"

A little late in responding but...

Is a dominant, 29-year-old, multi-Pro-Bowler "Aging"?
Is Peppers similar to Jason Taylor, last year?

Admittedly I had to look up the comparisons but Peppers
has been in the league 7 years (JT was 11 years before the trade w/Skins).
Peppers has missed games in only 2 of the seasons (6 total games)
and averaged 10 sacks a game/season.

I'd say he's definitely worth more than the 34th pick in the draft
and it won't be good news for the Phins if he puts on a Patriot uniform.
Unless of course they overpay for him (more picks, etc.).

However, as stated in another thread, the AFC-east has been the
most active division this offseason, no team is standing still.

I think it would be great for the Dolphins if he goes to NE. Then we don't have NE picking before us in the 2nd round and also...it is an experiment for him to switch to OLB. There is no guarantee that he will perform there. He is not that great to begin with. He is very good but not of JT's quality where he can change a game.

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“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

Let the pats trade all their draft picks for washed out players from other teams.

Their defense is aging, their QB is a good hit away from been in a wheel chair.

I see merling or lankford from the blind side crushing hit. Pats are DONE.

Agreed. Julius Peppers is a good player in his prime. But the Patriots aren't going after him.

It seems like both the media and plenty of posters on this site are brainwashed into thinking any quality FA or trade will go to NE first. Why? They haven't won a SB in a while and clearly they are a team in decline that can't make it to the playoffs without videotapes of opponents practices.

Wake up, the Patriots epoch is over.