Julius Peppers Signs With Chicago Bears

NFL News - March 6th, 2010 - Written by John Ritter

The NFL's biggest fish is off the free agent list just 16 hours after he was put on it.

ESPN's John Clayton reported Friday afternoon that the Chicago Bears used their brief meeting with defensive end Julius Peppers to agree on a contract, and a six-year deal is being finalized.

Peppers, who has spent his entire career in Carolina, was allowed to walk instead of being hit with the team's franchise tag again. He was looking for around $12 million a year, Clayton said, and although the official terms haven't yet been disclosed, will get around $40 million over the first three seasons.

Big NFL deals are usually back-ended with even more money.

"If we bring in Julius Peppers, that could help us a lot," Bears defensive end Alex Brown said on an ESPN Radio show. "The guy's a monster, he's an animal. He's the biggest guy and fastest guy I think I've ever seen.

"He's as gifted as [linebacker Brian] Urlacher, I think. He's just about 30 pounds heavier. He's unbelievable."

It makes the Bears the biggest free agency spender to-date in the first uncapped year since 1993. Lovie Smith and general manager Jerry Angelo had been feeling the heat to get back in the NFC North race after going 2-4 in the division in '09.

Chicago also stole running back Chester Taylor away from rival Minnesota and tight end Brandon Manumaleuna from San Diego. Taylor will get $12.5 million over four years, although the terms to Manumaleuna's deal aren't public yet.

The Bears's defense was uncharacteristically out of the top-15 in the 2009 NFL season, and struggled to keep teams within range with Jay Cutler struggling.

Peppers had a career-high 14 1/2 sacks in 2008, the year he turned down a contract extension from the Panthers. He returned in '09 with another 10 1/2 sacks when Carolina used it's franchise tag on him. But communication with he and executives began to fall apart at the end of the year, Peppers said there was no hope for an extension past last season.

ESPN reported his plans to meet with Chicago on Friday, and the two sides wasted little time striking the deal.

The Washington Redskins were also reported to have interest.