INDIANAPOLIS — Mike McCarthy wants Julius Peppers back in 2015. In fact, the Green Bay Packers head coach — clearly the salary cap isn't under his purview — doesn't understand why anyone would even doubt that the veteran outside linebacker will be back.

"I must be the only one who doesn't understand why that question keeps coming up," McCarthy said Thursday at the annual NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium when asked during a podium session with reporters whether he envisions Peppers coming back. "Yeah, I definitely believe Julius Peppers is going to be here. He was very comfortable. He had a great year. He made an impact both on the field and in the locker room. It was unique to get to know Julius Peppers through the process of once he signed as a free agent. I think he looks great in green and gold."

Peppers, who turned 35 the day of the NFC Championship Game, signed a three-year, $26 million deal last March that paid him a guaranteed $7.5 million signing bonus and $1 million base salary for 2014. That made his 2014 salary-cap number only $3.5 million, but his cap number jumps to $12 million in 2015 and $10.5 million in 2016. His 2015 base salary is scheduled to be $8.5 million, and his 2016 base salary is $7 million.

Peppers played in all 16 regular-season games, playing 825 snaps and registering 45 tackles, seven sacks and 11 pass breakups. He also had two interceptions — both of which he returned for touchdowns, against Minnesota and Philadelphia — and forced a team-best four fumbles. He recovered three fumbles, also most on the team.

While the Packers' official team stats had Peppers for 17 quarterback hits, the advanced statistics site Pro Football Focus credited him with 11 quarterback hits and 31 quarterback hurries — most on the team — and he and Clay Matthews tied for the team lead in combined sacks-hits-hurries.

Despite that production, one would think a $12 million cap number would be problematic, but apparently McCarthy doesn't see it that way.

Earlier in the day, general manager Ted Thompson avoided a question about Peppers return — "We try to bring all of our players back," he said — and said the team would consider signing a player like Peppers again this spring if the right situation arose.

"We like to make our team better. We're going to do whatever we can to make our team better," Thompson said. "Hopefully, we can do that in the draft class with these young men; hopefully, we can do it keeping our own guys; hopefully, we can do it picking up a veteran or two."

Late in the season, Peppers made it clear that he wasn't planning on retiring  even if the Packers won the Super Bowl, which of course they did not do. Asked at that time whether he thought he'd be back in Green Bay, he replied, "As far as I know, it's going to be here. But I don't know anything different." Asked if he expected the Packers to ask him to restructure his deal, Peppers' answer was, "Maybe. That hasn't even been on my radar, to be honest with you. It's not really important right now, so I haven't really thought about it."

Jason Wilde  wrote:

This will be interesting to see what happens. Peppers did have a good year and helped the team and didn't cost much because the Bears ate a lot of it.
However, from a pure business standpoint the reality of it is he will not get $12 million from anybody and probably not with another team that has a real shot at a ring. He's also at that age where the question is can he do it again this year and produce like he did in 2014?
The other side of that is that as it stands the NT position is iffy and if the defense is going to improve replacing both Hawk and Jones is a must so the timing of moving on from Peppers is not good. Certainly not from the standpoint of veteran presence on the field.

This is a classic example of why dipping into FA is risky. It doesn't take much to be in a position where a team loses better players and more so in a case like this where you have to wonder if he can keep it going. Fortunately it looks like the Packers can retain most of the guys they want to keep this year but it sure doesn't take many FA deals like this to get your butt in a crack.

Originally Posted by: warhawk 

This will be interesting to see what happens. Peppers did have a good year and helped the team and didn't cost much because the Bears ate a lot of it.
However, from a pure business standpoint the reality of it is he will not get $12 million from anybody and probably not with another team that has a real shot at a ring. He's also at that age where the question is can he do it again this year and produce like he did in 2014?
The other side of that is that as it stands the NT position is iffy and if the defense is going to improve replacing both Hawk and Jones is a must so the timing of moving on from Peppers is not good. Certainly not from the standpoint of veteran presence on the field.

This is a classic example of why dipping into FA is risky. It doesn't take much to be in a position where a team loses better players and more so in a case like this where you have to wonder if he can keep it going. Fortunately it looks like the Packers can retain most of the guys they want to keep this year but it sure doesn't take many FA deals like this to get your butt in a crack.

Originally Posted by: warhawk 

While Peppers did make the defense better, it would be tough to see him getting paid $8.5 million for limited snaps. While it worked last season, there is no telling if he will be able to have the same successes he had or if his snap count will be even more limited. Add to this, Nick Perry's play has been getting better.

On the other hand, Packers just cut Brad Jones which freed up another $3.5 million. I think that will currently put the Packers around $28 million in cap space. So, if the Packers can afford him at $8.5 million...why does it matter?

Originally Posted by: Yerko