BillBoard

For those Bills fans (you know who you are) who fantasized about Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers coming to Buffalo can give it up now that Peppers has finally signed his one-year franchise tender, which pays him $16.7 million guaranteed.

Peppers wanted to leave the Panthers to play for a team that used a 3-4 defense. But to sign a franchise player, another team would have had to give Carolina two first-round draft picks. No one was going to do that.

Not only has Peppers signed his tender, he is now open to signing a long-term deal with the Panthers. Nice to see him come to his senses. Fact is, Peppers would have been a fish out of water trying to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. He's a true 4-3 end, and a darn good one at that.

---Allen Wilson