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Julius Peppers wasn’t sure how much football he had left in him when he came to Green Bay.

But energized by a new challenge and a playoff run, Peppers wants to make sure he’s around for more than just this year.

“That’s the plan. I hope so,” Peppers said, via Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com. “So far, so good. I feel like the team as a whole has played well, obviously we wanted to make the playoffs and win the division and all those things, and we’re on track to do everything we set out to do.”

Peppers signed a three-year, $26 million deal with the Packers last offseason, and has been well worth the money this year. But with a cap hit that spikes to $12 million next year, nothing can be certain when you’re dealing with a guy who’s turning 35 in two weeks.

Peppers shrugged off questions about whether he’d restructure his deal, saying: “That hasn’t even been on my radar, to be honest with you. It’s not really important right now, so I haven’t really thought about it.”

There’s no doubt he’s been productive, posting 7.0 sacks, forcing four fumbles and returning a pair of interceptions for touchdowns. But he’s also created opportunities for teammate Clay Matthews, and has impressed with his leadership ability.

“I thought that he would have a lot left in the tank,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “But he’s exceeded my expectations in the leadership category. He’s been a great leader for us and he’s a guy who really is respected in this locker room. His voice carries a lot of weight. I think the production has been great, as well. He’s doing a great job making big plays for us with forced fumbles and interceptions and returned a couple for touchdowns. He’s a presence out there.

“And, I think he’s really pushed those other guys, like Clay and Nick Perry and Mike Neal, to get more out of them. And you’ve seen the production that they’ve had.”

Whether the Packers determine it to be worth the money remains to be seen, but Peppers has been a solid addition for a team that rarely makes such free agent purchases.