March 16, 200917 yr comment_60455 Patriots appear primed to make a deal with Panthers for Peppers By Vic Carucci | NFL.com The trade that sent Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs appears to be only the first phase of some major wheeling and dealing by the New England Patriots this offseason. The second phase, NFL sources say, is likely to involve a trade that would send Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers to the Patriots in exchange for the second-round pick (34th overall) they received from the Chiefs on Feb. 28. Patriots' offseason moves Acquired: TE Chris Baker LB Tully Banta-Cain CB Leigh Bodden WR Joey Galloway LS Nathan Hodel WR Greg Lewis CB Shawn Springs RB Fred Taylor Retained: LB Eric Alexander P Chris Hanson G Russ Hochstein S James Sanders Departed: QB Matt Cassel FB Heath Evans WR Jabar Gaffney LB Larry Izzo WR C.J. Jones RB LaMont Jordan LS Lonie Paxton LB Darrell Robertson LB Mike Vrabel » Free-agency tracker According to league sources, the Patriots and Panthers are hoping to complete the deal at some point between the March 22-25 NFL owners meetings and the start of the draft on April 25. Peppers, on whom the Panthers have placed a franchise tag that assures him of a one-year contract worth $16.68 million, would be converted to outside linebacker in New England's 3-4 defense. Report
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