Patriots re-sign free-agent defender to two-year deal
New England locked up a safety following Devin McCourty’s retirement.
The New England Patriots are bringing back another one of their own free agents.
The Patriots re-signed safety Jabrill Peppers to a two-year contract, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Peppers, 27, signed a one-year contract with the Patriots last season and registered 60 tackles, two tackles for loss and one fumble recovery in 17 games with five starts. He played 35 percent of defensive snaps and 59 percent of special teams snaps for New England.
The 2017 first-round pick out of Michigan has also played for the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants but now re-joins fellow safeties Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips and Joshuah Bledsoe in New England’s secondary. The Patriots will be without longtime free safety Devin McCourty, who retired this offseason after 13 NFL seasons.
Peppers, Phillips and Dugger all primarily play strong safety or in the slot, so it’s unclear who will replace McCourty. One option would be to move a cornerback — either Jonathan Jones or Myles Bryant — into that role. The Patriots re-signed both Jones and Bryant this week along with defensive tackle Carl Davis. They traded tight end Jonnu Smith and lost wide receiver Jakobi Meyers in free agency to the Las Vegas Raiders.
It wouldn't be surprising to see Peppers take on a bigger role in 2023 with another year in the system and after McCourty's retirement. He was also coming off of a torn ACL and high ankle sprain suffered in October 2021.
Featured image via Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
