Peppers can basically veto any trade by simply refusing to sign a long-term contract extension with that team prior to the Panthers making a trade. And no team is going to trade draft picks for Peppers and agree to pay him $16.683 million for one season.

Obviously, if Peppers sticks to his demands it would greatly limit Carolina's options as far as trade partners, especially if either of the NFC teams are in the South.

It's unclear if the Panthers would deal with the Cowboys, since they're in the NFC and because they don't currently have a first-round pick in the 2009 NFL draft.

--The Carolina Panthers laid off 20 employees on Tuesday, another sign of the economic downturn that has gripped the nation.

"The NFL is not immune from the current economic conditions and these are very difficult decisions designed to help the organization move forward in the most efficient manner possible," said public relations director Charlie Dayton.

Several areas of the franchise were affected by the cuts.

Many other NFL franchises have made similar cuts this year, including the New England Patriots.

--Jordan Gross had an unexpected visitor to his off-season home in Boise, Idaho on Thursday morning.

After wrapping up a deal with Gross' agent Ethan Lock Wednesday night, Panthers salary cap specialist Rob Rogers flew most of the night from Charlotte and showed up at Gross' door with the team's contract offer in hand -- just to make sure he got Gross' signature in person so there would be no mistakes.

"We told them we would just fax it back, but they wanted to make sure everything was good," Gross said with a laugh. "I guess it goes to show you how big this whole deal is."

--Donnie Shell, the team's longtime director of player development who has received numerous awards for his work with the team, announced his retirement.

The moves will not affect the team's payroll or how much the team plans to spend in free agency.

Shell's departure comes after he spent the past 15 seasons with Carolina.

Shell followed up a stellar career with the Pittsburgh Steelers - he won four Super Bowls and was named to the Pro Bowl five times - by joining the Panthers community relations department. He later was chosen by owner Jerry Richardson to head up the player development program, which helps prepare players for careers after football.

In a statement released by the team, Shell said, "It has been a great pleasure to work with Mr. Richardson and the Richardson family as well as Marty Hurney and John Fox. I thank them for the opportunity to work with the Carolina Panthers players and their families for 15 years. As a former player, Mr. Richardson has a great feeling for the players and their families."

Shell started 11 consecutive seasons for the Steelers and was chosen to the franchise's All-Time Team and NFL Silver Anniversary Super Bowl Team. Shell retired as the NFL's leader in interceptions by a strong safety with 51.

With the Panthers, his player development program won several honors. The award that annually goes to the best program in the NFL has Shell's name attached to it.

Shell was named to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998. He has also been elected to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame and the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame. A 1976 graduate of South Carolina State with a degree in physical education and a minor in biology, he later earned a master's degree in guidance and counseling in 1977.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We put the non-exclusive tag on him and that enables them to talk to teams and if they sign an offer sheet we would have to have to option to match or get the two first-round picks." -- Panthers GM Marty Hurney