Jabrill Peppers may be close to landing in a new home. The safety is visiting the Patriots Monday, per ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link).
Peppers was a first-round pick of the Browns in 2017. He started all 29 games he appeared in, totaling 137 tackles and a pair of interceptions. His time in Ohio came to an end after two seasons, though, as he was included in the trade package that sent Odell Beckham Jr. to the Browns.
In three years with the Giants, the Michigan product remained a full-time starter. Injuries (including a torn ACL from this past season) caused him to miss 17 games during that span, though, leading many to think his days in the Big Apple were numbered. The team moved on to Xavier McKinney in the role of strong safety in Peppers’ absence.
In New England, Peppers would find a familiar face on the coaching staff in Joe Judge. The ex-Giants head coach – who has returned to the Patriots after a long tenure working with the special teams unit – had an affinity for the 26-year-old during their time together. As Yates notes, his defensive versatility (and, to a lesser extent, his experience as a punt returner) could make him coveted by New England.
Considering his injury history, signing Peppers likely wouldn’t require a sizeable investment regarding term or salary. With his draft pedigree and youth, on the other hand, he could bring notable upside to a Patriots defense, which is generally trying to get younger to maintain its success from last year.
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