The New England Patriots made a surprising move Friday morning, releasing former Michigan standout safety Jabrill Peppers despite $4.32 million in guaranteed money left on his deal.
Peppers was expected to be a starter this season, which makes the decision even harder to make sense of. It also comes at a tricky time for the Patriots’ secondary, with the team still at a standstill on Kyle Dugger’s future after weeks of shopping him in trade talks.
A reliable veteran, Peppers has started 85 career games, including 26 in New England. Across his NFL career, he’s piled up more than 500 tackles, seven interceptions, six forced fumbles, and seven fumble recoveries.
Since being drafted in the first round back in 2017, Peppers has already made the rounds with Cleveland, the Giants, and now New England. With Mike Vrabel stepping in for Jerod Mayo, it looks like Peppers just didn’t fit into the new vision for the defense.
That might explain part of it, but it doesn’t feel like the whole story. Peppers has also run into trouble away from the field.
He was arrested in Braintree, Massachusetts, on domestic violence allegations and faced several charges, including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation, and drug possession after police said they found a bag of cocaine during the arrest.
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With New England reshaping its secondary and Dugger’s situation still unresolved, Peppers’ release only adds to the uncertainty around the Patriots’ defense. The question now is whether another team is willing to roll the dice on his talent despite the baggage.