Peppers is at his best when he's rushing from the edge, wide of the tackle or over a tight end, in what's known as the "7" technique. Peppers (6 feet, 6 inches and 290 pounds) has ideal size to play on the interior, and for a brief period during the first month of the season, Carolina, looking to take advantage of their linebacker depth, experimented with using Peppers inside, over the tackle in the "5" technique, at end in their 3-4 package. Make that misusing him.
I really don't like being down inside. I feel like when I'm down in that area like a tackle, I don't feel like I'm being used properly. It's hard, because you have to be a lot more run conscious and a lot more physical, which, being physical, that's no problem for me. But I'd rather get on the edge and rush the passer.
Julius Peppers wrote: