Jabrill Peppers ‘A Much Different Player’ Entering 2023 With Patriots

Jabrill Peppers had been limited as New England Patriots organized team activities began last spring. The veteran safety then opened his first training camp at Gillette Stadium on the physically unable to perform list. He did not make his in-game debut until the summer’s preseason finale.

But no games would be missed from there by a player who suffered a partially torn ACL in October 2021 while a member of the New York Giants.

Bill Belichick has seen significant growth from one calendar to the next.

“Oh yeah. Oh my God, yeah,” New England’s head coach told reporters of Peppers, 27, during his press conference on Tuesday. “Totally is a much different player now than he was last year at this time or even in training camp.”

Peppers had landed with the Patriots on a one-year contract that featured a $1.05 million base salary, $300,000 signing bonus, $225,000 offseason workout bonus as well as $425,000 in per-game roster bonuses. The former unanimous All-American, Paul Hornung Award winner and Cleveland Browns first-round draft choice checked each box from there.

He did so while building back up to a hybrid, hard-hitting role that could often be heard at 5-foot-11, 215 pounds.

Five starts were logged by Peppers, who saw 399 snaps on defense to go with 269 snaps on special teams by the end of the 2022 regular season. The University of Michigan product had a hand in 60 tackles, including nine in the kicking game and two in the offensive backfield.

His 84.6 Pro Football Focus grade in run defense scored among the NFL’s highest at the safety position. Also tacked on was a fumble recovery returned for a dozen yards versus the Baltimore Ravens.

The production arrived while serving as the fourth man in a safety group led by Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips and retired centerfield captain Devin McCourty. A new deal followed as an unrestricted free agent midway through March.

“Full year after the injury, a lot of confidence in the communication and the system and his assignments,” Belichick said. “He’s playing fast, aggressive, helping out teammates more.”

The Patriots now stand in the midst of June and mandatory minicamp. So does an ex-special teams captain who has started 64 games since entering the league in 2017.

Peppers is in the No. 5 jersey that he had worn as a Wolverine.

“Last year, he was learning things,” Belichick said. “Now, he’s helping out his teammates. Anticipation, making calls or adjustments that will maybe help him or possibly help his teammate be in a better position to defend a certain play or type of play.”

New England retained Peppers on a two-year, $9 million pact carrying a $3.1 million signing bonus along with $2.9 million in guaranteed salary. That level of investment brings a different level of expectations. But there is familiarity to work from. And at full speed following an offseason where that could not be.

“Yeah, he’s been great,” added Belichick. “Way, way ahead of where he was last year.”