On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers enters this 2025 NFL campaign with a bit of a renewed hunger, not only to re-establish himself as one of the better players at his position in the league, but to finally put together a winning season for the first time in his career.
Since being selected in the first round of the 2017 draft, Peppers has had his fair share of adversity. His rookie season was with the infamous 0-16 Cleveland Browns, after which he found his way to the New York Giants, where he logged only 10 wins across three years on the team. He then headed to New England, where he now finds himself climbing up a similarly steep slope to get to the top of the NFL mountain.
With those trials and tribulations for Peppers also came some valuable experience, which is part of the message he's conveyed to the team through the Patriots OTAs on what it takes to build those habits of being an aspired winner.
"I ain't ever had a winning season, so I'll be the first one to tell you I'm tired of that," Peppers said during Wednesday's practice." But it starts with the little things. You've got to eliminate bad football. You've got to be fundamentally sound. You've got to play to your identity. There's going to be adversity year in and year out, and typically, the closest teams– they overcome that adversity."
Peppers was limited to only six games through the 2024 season, but the Patriots saw a good bit of bad football amid their four-win campaign.
Even during Peppers' time under Belichick for two years, New England had the wheels already falling off from the winning culture previously put together, with only 11 victories throughout those final two seasons.
Despite being one of the better safety talents in the NFL, Peppers' time in the league hasn't translated to much success in the way of winning football games. But now, for the year ahead, there seems to be a renewed sense of optimism in the building for what 2025 could hold.
The coaching staff is vastly different, an assortment of new veterans have been added through free agency, and with another year of adding fresh young talent while developing the already-budding young guys on the roster, there is a world where this Patriots regime starts off red-hot, and in turn, gets Peppers to reach that long-awaited winning season.
Time will tell if all of the moving pieces of this offseason click to make that leap happen for the Patriots, but for Peppers, it all starts with building small.
More must-reads:
- NFLPA reportedly under federal investigation
- Browns make curious decision with rookie QB Shedeur Sanders
- The 'Single-season sack leaders by NFL team' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
Steelers rookie Will Howard may have already moved up the depth chart
Pittsburgh Steelers training camp is in full swing, and it’s already been full of excitement. With many new faces on the roster, fans are eager to see how these additions will fit in. After a busy and eventful offseason, training camp serves as the perfect opportunity for all the anticipation surrounding the team to start coming together on the field. One of the most talked-about positions for the Steelers this offseason has been quarterback. The team completely overhauled the position, leading to plenty of uncertainty and speculation early on. While the Steelers were strongly linked to Aaron Rodgers for some time, no official deal had been made by the start of the 2025 NFL Draft. Amid the uncertainty, the team made a bold decision by selecting Will Howard out of Ohio State, bringing in a new face and creating even more talk about the future of the position. Because the Steelers picked Howard late in the draft, there were questions about what his role on the team would be. Even before Rodgers signed, it was clear Howard wouldn’t be the starter. However, during a recent 7 shots drill, Howard unexpectedly took reps with the third team, raising more questions about where he might fit in. Rodgers is clearly locked in as the starting quarterback, with the hope that he can stay healthy throughout the entire season. Earlier in the offseason, he mentioned that this would likely be his final year, though he expressed excitement about the opportunity to play for a franchise like the Steelers. That said, Rodgers has always been unpredictable, and there’s still a chance his career may continue beyond this season. Regardless of what the future holds, his experience and football knowledge are incredibly valuable to the other quarterbacks on the roster, and they’ve made it clear how much they appreciate having him around. Mason Rudolph is expected to be the primary backup behind Rodgers this season. Rudolph was originally drafted by the Steelers and has spent most of his career in Pittsburgh as a dependable backup. However, he’s also shown he can step up when needed, filling in during important games and leading the team when called upon. Rudolph spent last season with the Tennessee Titans, gaining additional experience outside of Pittsburgh. After that brief stint, he re-signed with the Steelers early in the offseason, bringing familiarity, veteran presence and stability to the quarterback room behind Rodgers. Rudolph recently shared that Rodgers has been both incredibly helpful and genuinely friendly since joining the team. Many expected Skylar Thompson, another veteran backup the Steelers signed this offseason, to be next in line on the depth chart. However, with Howard now taking third-team reps, he could move up the depth chart as the season progresses. Rookies bring an element of unpredictability since they’re adjusting to a completely new environment and haven’t yet played in professional games. It’s hard to know how they’ll perform until they get real field experience. If Howard continues to perform well, there’s no reason he shouldn’t climb higher on the depth chart. It’s unlikely that Howard will get much playing time this year, but that doesn’t mean this season isn’t important for him. Learning from a player like Rodgers is incredibly valuable, and Howard has shared how grateful he is to have Rodgers as a mentor. Even if he doesn’t take the field this season, the experience and knowledge he gains behind the scenes could greatly influence his opportunities for playing time down the road. Steelers' future at QB likely isn't on the roster The Steelers were connected to several quarterbacks in this year’s draft class, and the situation drew plenty of attention due to the uncertainty surrounding Rodgers at the time. Although the team eventually signed Rodgers and selected Howard in the later rounds, it seems the search for a long-term franchise quarterback may still be ongoing. Rodgers is only on a one-year deal, and reports have already surfaced that the Steelers are eyeing next year’s quarterback draft class. Opinions on Howard vary, as some view him as a potential career backup, while others are optimistic about his upside and believe he could develop into a solid starting option in the future. Will Howard prove himself and continue to move up the depth chart?
Why Yankees' trade for All-Star 3B is disappointing
The New York Yankees’ first move ahead of the July 31 MLB trade deadline falls a bit flat. They traded two prospects most fans have never heard of to acquire Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon, a lackluster move that indicates New York is throwing in the towel on the 2025 season. McMahon is an upgrade — but only a slight one. Yankees GM Brian Cashman replaced a .147 hitter in Oswald Peraza with a .217 hitter in McMahon, who also happens to lead the National League in strikeouts (127). But really, New York just added another Anthony Volpe — one of the biggest problems in the Bombers’ lineup — to the left side of their infield. The two infielders’ 2025 stats tell virtually the same sad tale: McMahon: .217/.314/.403, 16 home runs Volpe: .214/.286/.400, 13 home runs The Yankees should have risked a top prospect or two for Arizona Diamondbacks power-hitting third baseman Eugenio Suarez. A 2026 free agent, Suarez is a rental, but with his .252/.325/.593 slash line, 33 home runs and MLB-leading 86 RBI, he’d be a huge upgrade at third base, rather than a slight one. Instead, the Yankees opted for a player who they’ll have control over until 2028 and cost them almost nothing to acquire. Apparently, they believe McMahon will prove valuable in the long run, based on his advanced analytics. After all, he’s been crushing the ball in 2025, averaging a 94 mph exit velocity. However, his ability to hit the ball hard doesn’t mean he’s just been unlucky this year, as his xBA is just .232 — not too far below his .240 career actual batting average. Compare that to another guy who’s known for hitting the ball hard in Yankees first baseman Ben Rice, who is hitting just .232 but has an xBA of .289. It doesn’t matter how hard McMahon hits the ball if he tends to hit it directly at a fielder. There’s still a week until the trade deadline, but don’t expect the Yankees to make any truly splashy moves. Suarez was the better choice to fix New York’s third base issues, and their pivot to McMahon was disappointing.
Go Inside Raiders Training Camp & What I Saw Today?
HENDERSON, Nev.—Day three of the Las Vegas Raiders' 2025 NFL Training Camp is officially in the books, and from inside camp, I saw plenty of things to tell you about. As your Las Vegas Raiders Beat Writer On SI, I will share what stood out to me. Please note that I will be commenting on any specific information that could harm the Raiders strategically, should their opponents process it. Additionally, please remember that the game of football is played with pads, and until Monday at 8:30 AM PT the Raiders are not in pads. For that reason, I will, in some cases, speak very generally. The Offense It is going to be fascinating to see how Chip Kelly, the Raiders' offensive coordinator, works this offense. He is an offensive genius, and that is already showing up in camp. · While I can’t and won’t share schematic details, many of the things Raider Nation has been bemoaning for the entirety of my six years covering this team are being addressed. · Certainly, a lack of pads would hasten one to tap the brakes, but early indications are that this is going to be an offense the Silver and Black faithful are going to love. · I spent significant time today with the offensive line. True offensive lineman Thayer Munford’s footwork, to me, was the best I have ever seen from the proud Buckeye. In several drills, he moved fluidly to his right and left. · Interestingly, he has played well for a young player, but it is evident he has worked diligently on that part of his game. · I shared with you last year that the Raiders liked UDFA Will Putnam. While I still think he is destined for the practice squad on a team that is loaded with offensive linemen, he is improving, appears to be in terrific shape, and is demonstrating that he may not be ready to make the 53-man roster in 2025; however, he is well on his way. · Sticking with the offensive line, I want to talk about rookie OT Charles Grant. · The youngster is an absolute sponge. He is swimming right now, in my opinion, as he makes the major leap to the National Football League, but his willingness to learn and take corrections from coaches and teammates will go a long way for the young man. · You want FAT players. Faithful, Available, and Teachable, and that is Grant. · Alex Bachman, the second-year WR, keeps doing things that show up on film. He is explosive, and his effort is impressive. · There is a spot to be won at WR on this roster, and Bachman is doing everything he can to get seen. · Multiples today, and in the offseason, he has made his presence known. Remember that young man. · Today’s ones on the OL were LT Kolton Miller, LG Dylan Parham, C Jackson Powers-Johnson, RG Alex Cappa, and RT Delmar DJ Glaze. · I wouldn’t read anything into that other than the LG battle is going to be intense, and they are experimenting and competing. · I know that RB Raheem Mostert is incredibly talented. However, he appears to be back and healthy, and today, he demonstrated his balance, which was nothing short of stunning. · His athleticism is impressive, and his balance is not reflective of a man who is injured. While I am not a doctor, his balance looked impossible, even if he was healthy, let alone if he wasn’t. · He was nearly parallel to the ground and with one hand pushed his body up like a one armed push up, regained balance and never stopped moving forward. · WOWZA. Until I learn differently, there is a block S under that jersey. · That is an easy opinion to have without pads on, but all we can judge is what we saw today, and he looked great. · Every single day, RB Ashton Jeanty does something to show off the athleticism that made him the best RB in the 2025 NFL Draft. · He made a jump cut today for a long TD that simply left the defender in his wake, trying to tackle the wind. · He is a back that runs aggressively behind his pads, something that usually doesn’t show up in shorts. Monday can’t get here soon enough to see that side of his game. · Sincere McCormick and Zamir White are firmly locked in a battle for RB3, and both had nice practices today. · McCormick broke off a long TD and continues to run angry. · Don’t construe that to be criticism of White, it isn’t. He also had a great run, and both men competing is what Pete Carroll craves, and it is what he got. · That competition is making both of those young men better, and the Raiders for sure. · While there is ZERO QB competition to anyone here at practice, that doesn’t mean that Aidan O’Connell is digressing. He isn’t. · Today, he showed off a quick release, and one that up to this point I had never seen him use. · He didn’t and hasn’t played as well as Geno Smith, but the young man is getting better, and the gap between him and Cam Miller is wider than the gap between him and Geno Smith. There is NO comparison between the Boilermaker and Smith. · O’Connell missed a terrific touchdown opportunity, but on the very next play, in the red zone, he flashed his quick release like an old west gunfighter for a quick strike touchdown in which he threw an absolute strike in a very tight window. · It is throws like that that make it easy to say we haven’t seen enough to rule him out as a QB1 in this league, and it was passes like the previous one that makes us declare we haven’t seen enough to say he is. · O’Connell is a terrific young man with a ton of talent; he now has to find consistency. Don’t bet against him; people did Geno Smith. · That touchdown pass was to TE Carter Runyon, who made a terrific bang-bang play. · I reported on Wednesday that the Raiders will consider keeping four tight ends. I am not predicting that they do it, but they are considering it, and Chip Kelly loves the weapons in that room. · Without revealing anything schematic, I can tell you that the Raiders' tight ends are very active, and Geno Smith and Brock Bowers have already established a special bond. · TE Ian Thomas is like the Energizer Bunny. He is just a steady force. He keeps making plays and is very disciplined. · I mentioned on Wednesday that Qadir Ismail, the young TE, survived the field like a QB. I was informed by his father, the legendary “Missile,” Qadry “The Missile” Ismail, that he indeed did play QB in his recent past. · QB Cam Miller isn’t NFL-ready yet. But you can see it. The young man is swimming in the NFL and should be, like most rookies. · You can also see what Tom Brady liked about him. · Raiders GM John Spytek told reporter Dan Pompei of The Athletic after the draft that, "He (Brady) liked the way (Miller) threw it, his technique, throwing from the ground up and his motion." · Under pressure today, it was nice to see QB Geno Smith wait until the last second and then scramble for a TD. · Geno is not the same QB many remember from his youth. · He now uses his athleticism as a weapon, and not as a crutch like many young men, blessed with his talent, do. · That type of discipline can only come with patience and maturity, which is why people have to be patient with young QBs. · Collin Johnson, the young WR, and Darnay Holmes, the veteran CB, were battling today. It was fascinating to watch the competition at all levels of the team that Pete Carroll is building. · Carroll wants a culture of competition, and while it is early, it is developing. The Defense · Maxx Crosby is the best defender in the NFL, and at Raiders practice, he is the best player. On any side of the ball. · He anticipated the snap today on play, and was in the backfield before the OL even moved. · He nearly had another interception. · While I am not ashamed to admit my bias, is it bias if it is true? I think not. · Remember that there are officials at practice, and he spends the entire day running up and down the field wreaking havoc. · His nickname is the Condor, but it should be the destroyer. · A name I have not talked about before is JT Woods, the safety. Today, his effort was evident every time he got on the field. · I don’t think he can make the 53-man roster, but the 2nd year player out of Baylor flashed the skills that get young men on the practice squad, and the effort is what eventually earns them spots. · Pete Carroll told us today that Jamal Adams is a WILL LB. His speed is awe-inspiring. · I asked Carroll if he saw his role as primarily as a pass rusher, and he doesn’t. With that speed, he is going to let him compete as a three-down backer. · It is no secret that I like LB Amari Gainer. Today, watching him move laterally and vertically was the most comfortable I have seen him. · What else I like about the young man is that he is grabbing reps on defense and special teams. · Gainer is hungry to make the roster, and he is trying to put a ton of film out there for John Spytek and Pete Carroll to see, so he can’t be ignored. · Lonnie Johnson, the perennial special teams star and Raiders free agent, made his presence felt in a big way today at camp. · He has played well since arriving in the desert, but today, with a monster pass rush, QB Geno Smith made his only bad pass, and Johnson turned on the jets, accelerated, picked off the pass, and was off to the races. · If that man can be more than a special teams star, the Raiders are in terrific shape at S. · LB Devin White and CB Sam Webb were celebrating today after a big play. What stood out to me is what I call the “Pete Carroll Syndrome.” · Carroll is instilling in these players that they PLAY a game. They PLAY a game. They need to find their first love and start having fun. · Players having fun play fast and have more success. · Watching White and Webb was like watching a group of young men playing in the backyard at Grandma’s on Thanksgiving afternoon. · Pete Carroll’s enthusiasm is catching on, and while it was a good play, it was not the type of play that would have been celebrated like it was in my previous five seasons covering the Silver and Black, under any coach. · These men are having fun, and that says something. · Adam Butler, the talented DT, is having a terrific camp. As both a leader and a player, Butler is a disruptive force that looks to be playing like a man on a mission. · Patrick Graham and Rob Leonard love Butler, and he has done nothing but reward their loyalty to him. · I am very excited to see him on Monday with pads on. · I have seen Butler as a leader in the past, but this offseason, he has developed that into almost an assistant coach role. He is taking the young guys under his wing and there is nobody better to learn from than him. · Speaking of impressive men, Tyree Wilson is playing like the youngster we saw in college. · Hearkening back to the second half of 2023, Patrick Graham is using him inside and outside, and he is fluid, athletic, and having fun. · His athleticism, size, and physique should be illegal, but he has the perfect defensive end body, and his effort and heart are showing up. · Today, while being held, he pressured Geno Smith on more than one occasion, and spent most of the day in the Raiders' backfield. · Sure, the OL had no pads, and that is a legitimate point, but Tyree is on a mission, and Monday, for that young man, can’t come soon enough. · Many times since John Spytek signed CB Eric Stokes, I have told you that if he can back to being healthy, he can be the superstar he was as a rookie. · He sure looks it. He made more than one play today, but he is playing at a terrific pace and level right now. · He is a ball hawk, and it is evident. · If Jakorian Bennett remains healthy, and Stoke is back to 100%, the one perceived weakest part of the team could shut the mouths of many doubters. The Intangibles · The offense had two penalties today, and the defense had three. That is nearly insignificant when you consider it was the third day of practice. That was impressive to me. We'd appreciate it if you would follow us on X @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr , and let’s talk about the Silver and Black’s training camp.
Justin Eboigbe continues to track as a breakout player at Chargers training camp
The hype keeps growing for Los Angeles Chargers defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe. Eboigbe was a spotlight earlier this offseason as a possible breakout because of the work he’s put into his body and within the NFL itself. And now it’s a topic showing up in a major way with the right people inside the Chargers organization as training camp gets going. Take, for example, what Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter had to say after a recent practice. “The weight has helped him,” Minter said, according to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper. “He’s been dominant in there at times in different techniques, and I think he’s just got confidence. … When you see that work translate to the field and to how he’s playing, that’s really gratifying for a player, where the hard work that they put in shows up and allows them to play better than they played the year before.” It’s not easy for a player to break into the defensive line rotation right now for the Chargers. Just ask Eboigbe, who didn’t even register 30 snaps last year. Twenty pounds heavier and more experienced this summer, Eboigbe will compete with the likes of free-agent add Da'Shawn Hand to play a bigger role as a sophomore. Overall, the Chargers are really counting on a mix of new arrivals like Hand and upstarts like Eboigbe to boost a front seven that underwent the loss of Joey Bosa, Poona Ford and others this offseason. If Minter likes what he’s seeing so far, though, Eboigbe certainly appears to be on the right track.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
