It's been a rough offseason for former Patriots holdovers from the Bill Belichick era, with prominent "Belichick guys" like center David Andrews, DE Deatrich Wise, and LB Ja’Whaun Bentley all ushered out of Foxboro in 2025. The list should continue to grow, too, with defenders Anfernee Jennings and Kyle Dugger reportedly on the trade block.
The Patriots are starting over (again), with a new coaching staff led by Mike Vrabel and a soon-to-be-finalized 53-man roster that will look a lot different than years past.
Only a few well-known Belichick draft picks or free agent signings remain in New England, and one forgotten starter and former team captain has not only flown under the radar but has a clear path to playing time in Vrabel’s new-look defense.
Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers is poised for a bounce-back season after a brutal 2024
If we’re being honest, it’s a bit surprising that Peppers, now entering his age-30 season, wasn’t cut loose along with a bunch of his former teammates this offseason. Not only did the team sign Dugger to a lucrative contract extension in 2024, but it spent an early Day 3 draft pick on safety Craig Woodson in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Peppers only appeared in six games last season after landing on the NFL Commissioner's Exempt List. He was arrested in October on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and drug possession. He pleaded not guilty, returned to the football field for the Patriots in late November, and was later acquitted after standing trial in Boston.
Per Mike Reiss of ESPN, Peppers has quickly become a Vrabel guy since the latter’s arrival in Foxboro, and multiple team reporters expect the veteran to be among the Week 1 starters at safety after a strong summer.
"It was tough last year both on and off the field,” Peppers said, via Reiss. “Just to be able to come out here and focus on football and not have that weighing on me — a whole new start, new scheme, a new environment, a new feel around the building — it's been good for me.”
As for New England’s safety depth chart as a whole? It remains a guessing game entering Thursday night’s preseason finale against the New York Giants. Peppers should start alongside either Woodson or fellow camp standout Jaylinn Hawkins, with guys like Dugger, veteran Marcus Epps, and second-year pro Dell Pettus potentially battling for a roster spot. Special teams stud Brenden Schooler could also be in the mix at safety, in game-plan specific packages.
The one known commodity appears to be Peppers, who deserves credit for putting his rough 2024 season behind him and once again commanding respect as a locker room leader.