Among the worst parts of the Patriots' season so far has been the accumulation of injuries across the roster, many of which all came around the same time. It was a big hit to their production in all three phases, so it didn't help when starting safety Jabrill Peppers was put on the commissioner's exempt list last month.
The defense was one of the team's bright spots early on, especially in the first few weeks, but production has drastically gone down during recent games. Some of it can be blamed on injuries to guys like Ja'Whaun Bentley, who suffered a season-ending injury in September, or the inconsistent availability of Kyle Dugger.
On top of it all, one of the best performers on the roster has consistently been Peppers, and he continued that trend at the start of the season. So his absence has created quite a hole in the secondary.
Fortunately, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss, while a new court date has been scheduled for him to appear in January, he can reunite with the Patriots this week.
Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers was reinstated Monday, and is no longer on the commissioner exempt list, the league announced.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) November 25, 2024
Because they have struggled in back-to-back weeks against some of the league's best wide receivers, having Peppers back in the lineup couldn't happen at a better time. Outside of Christian Gonzalez, the cornerbacks have become more of a liability on game day than a help, which has rarely been the case with the tenured safety.
He should be an immediate help amid their recent struggles, as they hope to get back on track for the final five games of the year.
It is unclear whether he will be available as soon as Week 13, as we haven't yet heard from Jerod Mayo or the coaching staff regarding his status, but that should be addressed in the coming days with Peppers back in the building.
UPDATE:
The Patriots have released a statement about Peppers' return to the team.
Patriots statement: “The league has removed Jabrill Peppers from the commissioner’s exempt list. After missing the past seven games, he will now return to the active roster. We understand that the league’s investigation into the matter will continue, as will the legal process. We… https://t.co/SCjLAyYsd6
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) November 25, 2024
More context regarding Peppers' reinstatement:
Per a league source, the reason Patriots S Jabrill Peppers was removed from the commissioner's exempt list was because the baseline suspension for a violation of the personal conduct policy involving the actions for which he's accused is six games. He's already missed seven…
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) November 25, 2024