Associated Press
The Panthers notebook …
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ó Julius Peppers arrived at training camp Sunday with his trusty backpack, avoided reporters and received lavish praise from his Carolina teammates.
It was as if the past seven months never happened.
Forget his pleading with management to let him leave in free agency, his claims he had “maxed out” with the Panthers and would never sign a long-term deal. There was no visible animosity toward the star defensive end.
“You’ve got to understand when people strap it on, a lot of things are forgotten,” quarterback Jake Delhomme said. “Maybe the waters were a little rough. but that’s not him. I promise you, guys don’t give it a second thought. Once he signed the tender, OK, good. I’m telling you, that’s the mindset.”
Peppers will be one of the highest-paid players for a single season in NFL history, guaranteed to receive $16.7 million. It comes a season after Peppers recorded a career-high 141/2 sacks, then announced he wanted to play in a 3-4 defense for another team.
The Panthers still placed the franchise tag on him, and now he’s back for his eighth season. After skipping offseason workouts, he’ll have to quickly learn new defensive coordinator Ron Meeks’ system and adjust to new teammates, including rookie defensive end Everette Brown.
“Anytime you can play on the same field, on the same team as a four-time Pro Bowler, it definitely adds a lot of positives that you can take,” said Brown, Carolina’s second-round pick. “And more importantly I’m excited that we’ve got the whole D-line here at the start of training camp, so we can be full speed early.”
While the media-shy Peppers avoided interviews, he did speak to The Charlotte Observer a day earlier, vowing to put the unpleasant offseason behind him.
“Everything I can do to help this team win is going to be done on my part,” Peppers told the newspaper.
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ROOKIE TENSION: Brown acknowledged some rookie nerves as he reported to his first training camp.
“A lot of anxiety,” Brown said. “On the drive here this morning from Charlotte I had a lot of thoughts go through my mind. Just thinking about what it was like going from high school to college, making the transition to training camp.”
Much is expected of the former Florida State star. The Panthers hope he’ll shore up a pass rush that packed little punch after Peppers last season.
“The best I can do is be the best that Everette Brown can be,” Brown said. “How do I do that? Come out every day and prepare to be the best and pay attention to detail, listen to coaches and use the veterans such as Peppers and those guys, and lead by example.”
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VICK DODGING: With an owner who places a high importance on player behavior and a former first-round pick still imprisoned, the Panthers would seem an unlikely destination for Michael Vick.
Still, coach John Fox refused to publicly rule out signing the former Atlanta quarterback, who was recently released from prison for his role in a dogfighting operation.
“We always have an interest in anybody that makes us better,” Fox said. “Right now I think we’re pretty set at quarterback and like the guys we have. I wouldn’t want to rule in or rule out anything. I tell you that all the time and we’re always looking to upgrade. At this point we feel comfortable with where we are.”
Former Panthers receiver Rae Carruth is serving a 19-year sentence for a conspiracy to commit murder conviction. Owner Jerry Richardson has demanded high character players, routinely giving lectures to rookies.
Delhomme is joined on the preseason roster by backup QBs Josh McCown, Matt Moore and Hunter Cantwell.
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ROSARIO’S BACK: Tight end Dante Rosario declared himself 100 percent after offseason surgery to fix a slipped disk in his lower back.
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EXTRA POINTS: The Panthers officially signed second-round pick Sherrod Martin Sunday, two days after he agreed to a four-year deal. They did not immediately announce who was cut to make room on the 80-man roster. … Fox said all players passed their physicals. … Practice begins today with two workouts at 9:10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.