Peppers the Packer!

By Jon Meerdink

For once there's some good news that breaks about the Packers when I go out of town! Julius Peppers, long a thorn in Green Bay's side, will now line up in Green and Gold.

How Peppers performs will determine whether or not this is a bargain or a bust for the Packers, but early indications seem to show a win-win. Peppers gets to reuinite with Mike Trgovac, his defensive line crony from his days in Carolina. He also gets a crack at a ring with a contender and a shot at sticking it to Chicago twice a year.

The Packers, meanwhile, get a long, athletic (if declining) player who will instantly give some gravitas to their pass rush. Peppers may not be the player he was when he signed a big deal with the Bears, but he still should be enough to contribute.

Overall, I like the deal, and it should at least partially silence the Ted Thompson bashers who seem to believe he only exists to crush their hopes and dreams.

Now we just have to see what number he'll wear. B.J. Raji currently owns number 90, the number Peppers has worn throughout his career. Raji would have to buy up the excess jerseys bearing the old number if he was going to switch, so the price my be high if Peppers wants to wrest it away from him.