Julius Peppers no longer wants a long-term contract with Carolina, saying the Panthers have ignored him this offseason.

In an interview aired Tuesday morning on Charlotte radio station WFNZ-AM, the five-time Pro Bowl defensive end indicated he's irritated by the team's "silence" and has changed his stance on whether he wants to continue his career in Carolina.

"Last year, at the time, that was the option that I wanted most," Peppers said. "Now it's not."

While agent Carl Carey said last week he believes the Panthers aren't interested in retaining Peppers, Carolina's career sacks leader, team officials haven't announced their plans for the impending free agent. General manager Marty Hurney didn't immediately return a phone message Tuesday.

"How can you say you want to be somewhere when you're not really sure if they want you there because they're not even talking to you?" Peppers said.

St. Louis running back Steven Jackson won't face criminal charges over allegations that he beat a girlfriend who was nine months pregnant with the couple's child at his Las Vegas home last year, a police spokeswoman said.

Investigators found insufficient evidence that Jackson, 26, attacked Supriya Harris of Mableton, Ga., in March 2009, Las Vegas police officer Barbara Morgan said.

"Our investigation is complete," said Morgan, a department spokeswoman. "I don't think the time passage was a factor here. We contacted the victim, the accused and witnesses. There's insufficient evidence to go forward with the case."

New Seattle offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates says quarterback Matt Hasselbeck "has been incredible" learning his new system. He says running backs Julius Jones and Justin Forsett will fit Seattle's new offense well. Yet Bates won't discuss Walter Jones' status for 2010.

Speaking for the first time since moving north from Southern California last month, Bates said left tackle is extremely important but that he "won't get involved with what route we're going" at Jones' position.

The 36-year-old Jones posted on his Twitter page last weekend that "it is time for me to retire from football." He hasn't played since Thanksgiving Day 2008 following two surgeries on his left knee.

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