Jordan Gross Is Happy, The Panthers Are Happy, But Peppers Is Not So Happy

Out of three parties in Charlotte, two are happy, and one is still in NFL purgatory.

On Thursday, just hours before the NFL deadline of placing the franchise tag on a player, the Panthers and All-Pro offensive tackle Jordan Gross struck an agreement to keep Gross in a Panthers uniform with a six-year deal.

Out of the six years, Gross is expected to earn $30.5 million during his first three years, making him the highest-paid NFL offensive linemen in league history.

The Panthers definitely made the right decision in coming to terms with Gross, who just a year earlier, played under the franchise tag.

There have been varying opinions around the Bleacher Report, that if the Panthers couldn't come to terms with Gross, it would be better to let him walk while placing the franchise tag on defensive end Julius Peppers, in hopes of getting two first-round picks in a trade.

I assure the doubters, that keeping Gross—even if it had meant placing the franchise tag on him—would have been a more intelligent plan than letting him walk. A left tackle of Gross's caliber, toughness, and size is not an easy element to replace. In that situation, you have to look at what's better for the team as a whole.

Now that the Panthers have that issue resolved, they will collaborate with Peppers and his agent, Carl Carey, to see where Peppers would like to go, and to see what these four teams on Peppers' "wish list" is willing to offer for the 14.5 sack-master in return.

Peppers has stated, that if he doesn't go to one of his four chosen teams, he will hold out until a trade that he agrees to is worked out.

As a free agent having signed a franchise tender for $16.7 million (making Peppers the highest-paid defensive end), he has the right to make such demands. Having signed the franchise tag contract, Peppers controls trade negotiations and can refuse any team he does not want to go to.

On the flip-side, if the Panthers don't agree with the offer that one of the four—or however many teams it could turn out to be in the long-run—teams makes, then the Panthers can decline the trade, thus keeping Peppers on the roster until a trade agreement can either be reached or until next offseason.

While Peppers is probably caught up in the heat of the moment, and states that if he isn't traded he will hold out, odds are that the Panthers will come to an agreement with one of the four teams, and if not Peppers will play, as he is not the type to sit out an entire season.

Add to that, Peppers is at the apex of his career, and sitting out would not only make him look foolish to teams possibly interested in him, but he will lose a year where he could have been productive and showing what he can do on the field.

All issues aside, it will be very nice seeing Gross in silver, black, and Panther blue for at least six more years.