CHARLOTTE -- Julius Peppers says the Carolina Panthers' silence toward him since the season ended is "kind of a turnoff" that has dampened his desire to remain with the team.
During a taped interview aired Tuesday morning on a Charlotte sports radio station, Peppers said there was a time last year when signing a long-term extension with the Panthers was the option he most wanted, but "now it's not."
"Because of the lack of communication that they've had with us, you know, if somebody asked me do I want to stay in Carolina and play for the Panthers next year, it's like, OK, well, how can you say you want to be somewhere when you're not really sure if they want you here because they're not even talking to you?" Peppers told morning talk show host Chris McClain.
The Panthers, through a team spokesman, declined to respond to Peppers' remarks.
Peppers' agent, Carl Carey, said recently that the Panthers had not contacted him since the end of the season to discuss his client's future with the team. Peppers' contract is expiring, and he's eligible to become an unrestricted free agent March 5.
The Panthers' options include applying the franchise tag for the second consecutive year, which would require them to make him a one-year tender offer of more than $20 million; trying to sign him to a long-term contract; or allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent and getting nothing in return for his loss.
Carolina could also franchise Peppers and try to trade him, but that could be risky because teams would have to not only meet Peppers' contractual demands but also be willing to give the Panthers compensation in the form of draft picks and/or players.
Starting Thursday, the Panthers have a two-week window in which they can franchise Peppers. The deadline for doing so is Feb. 25.
Peppers, a five-time Pro Bowl defensive end who recently was chosen to the NFL's all-decade team, said he hasn't spoken to the Panthers but that in recent days the team has sent Carey "a couple of vague text messages ... nothing of substance."
Peppers didn't rule out a return to Carolina, especially under the franchise tag and tender. He was noncommittal when asked what he wants to happen.
After last season, Peppers' contract was set to expire and he said he no longer wanted to be with the team and hoped the Panthers wouldn't franchise him. Instead, the Panthers applied the franchise tag to keep him off the free agency market and paid him a $16.683 million salary plus a $1.5 million Pro Bowl bonus.
But while Peppers' situation was playing out, changes came to the coaching staff.
The Panthers later hired Ron Meeks as defensive coordinator and Brian Baker as defensive line coach, two moves that Peppers said he considered very positive in 2009.
But Peppers made it clear Tuesday he no longer knows whether he has a future with the Panthers.
"Why would I come out and say that I want to be here when the team is not even acknowledging the fact that my future with the organization is up in the air?" he said.
