"Julius Peppers said his only regret while playing for the Carolina Panthers is the way things ended.

Peppers, who makes his return to Charlotte this Sunday when the Panthers host the Chicago Bears, described his departure from Carolina after eight seasons as "a little sour" during a 19-minute conference call with reporters on Wednesday.

"I don't have a problem with them saying, 'OK, the lockout is coming up. The future of the league is uncertain and we're going to go in a different direction and we're going to do away with anybody who's going to make any significant amount of money, and we're going to keep young guys,'" Peppers said. "That's a business decision. I can understand that and respect that. I don't have a problem with that.

"The problem I have is they tried to turn the tables and make it look like I wanted out no matter what. And really I didn't have the option to stay because it was never offered to stay."

Peppers said he actually wanted to re-sign with the Panthers after last season, but never received an offer.

By then, of course, the Panthers had decided to move on, remaking their roster with younger players, releasing veterans like Jake Delhomme, Damione Lewis, Maake Kemoeatu, Na'il Diggs and Brad Hoover.

The Panthers felt like they did everything they could to keep Peppers. They put the franchise tag on him and paid him nearly $17 million in 2009 and twice offered to make him the highest-paid defensive player in the league, although he turned down both offers.

After he was allowed to walk in free agency, Peppers said he never spoke with general manager Marty Hurney or coach John Fox, although he said he did exchange a couple of text messages with Fox.

"So that's why I say it ended a little sour," Peppers said. "I felt like it could have been a little more respectful, at least to say, 'Hey, it's been good. We're going in a different direction and we're going to let you go.' They couldn't even give me that. So that's why I say it's a little sour.""