New England Patriots Midseason Awards: MVP, Least Valuable Player, ROTY & more

Most Valuable Defensive Player (so far): Jabrill Peppers

When looking at the roster before the start of the season and looking back at how the team performed last year, it was fair to assume that the defense would be the best part of the Patriots this year. The offense has been lacking talent and consistency, but the defense has been more dominant than some want to give them credit for.

Most of the complimentary words when discussing the defense through the first few weeks were mainly about Christian Gonzalez and Matthew Judon, two of the most productive players on the entire team.

But as the weeks went on, Jabrill Peppers' performance began to shine through, which has earned him the Most Valuable Defensive Player of the year so far.

Since signing with the Patriots in 2022, Peppers has proven to be a hard-hitting, do-whatever-it-takes-to-get-the-job-done kind of guy. He's taken that to an all-new level this season, as he's on pace to have one of if not the best season of his career, while also taking on a leadership role since Devin McCourty's retirement.

That aspect of his development in New England has earned him plenty of respect and praise from his teammates, and unlike some, his performance on the field backs it up every week. Through nine games, he's totaled 54 combined tackles, three tackles for a loss, a quarterback hit, six pass breakups, a forced fumble, and an interception returned for one yard.

So far, the most memorable moments of his season have been the big hit on DaVante Adams that led to an interception recovered by Jahlani Tavai against the Raiders and his opening drive interception of Josh Allen vs. the Bills.

The energy Peppers brings to the team is felt by everyone, even those watching at home. His rough and tough style of play has paid off a lot during his two years in New England and will continue to be as long as he stays.

Honorable mentions: Christian Barmore and Kyle Dugger