Reeder's Take

   The Panthers will need to make a decision on whether or not to use the franchise tag on defensive end Julius Peppers by the end of the NFL business day on Thursday. It’s expected the Panthers will forego using the franchise tag — and thus avoid paying him more than $20 million — and allow him to become an unrestricted free agent.

   That said, the Panthers haven’t officially said they won’t use the franchise tag, so there’s still a little drama. But not much.

   –Panthers coach John Fox, we’re hoping, may finally address the media this week prior to leaving for the Scouting Combines in Indianapolis.

   –Linebacker Thomas Davis is expected to run this week on grass for the first time since tearing his ACL, which is simply another step in the regular rehab process that every player with a knee injury must take at some point. Davis, a restricted free agent who is likely to receive the highest tender offer possible from the Panthers, should be healthy and ready to go well before the start of the 2010 regular season.

   –The Panthers have not made a long-term contract offer to quarterback Matt Moore.

   –If the Panthers sign only one unrestricted free agent before the March 5 deadline, my money is it will be defensive end Tyler Brayton.

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