Patriots Player Departure Jabrill Peppers Released (Update: Signs w/Steelers)

[signbabybrady]

Talk of playoffs, double-digit wins, being fully competitive this year, are all unjustified. As I have said all along, I don't really much care about the number of wins this year. I am interested in signs of progress toward being genuinely competitive a year or two down the line. I see no reason one cannot enjoy this season on that basis (unless...well, you know...there isn't any progress, which I think very unlikely).

Proclaiming your negativity to already be correct before the season starts is as much a double negative as your last sentence.

Chipper as always. Stay thirsty my friend.

 

[Thelonious]

Proclaiming your negativity to already be correct before the season starts is as much a double negative as your last sentence.

Chipper as always. Stay thirsty my friend.

Obviously you do not know what a double negative is. As for my take's being negative overall: no such thing, though it may seem so to those averse to facing the actual facts of the matter. The truth will often seem negative, that is, to those sunken in happy delusion.

It is your aversion to acknowledging that Bill ran this team into the ground, making it arguably the worst team in the league, which skews your perspective. That is where we started in this phase of the team's history. We then wasted a year when the team's owner decided to hire an obviously unqualified kissup on whom he had some sort of mancrush for the head coaching job, with predictable results. So we are starting over, again. So be it. I actually feel quite positive about the team's prospects over a reasonable time frame. We have a good head coach, a very promising qb, and the roster is better this year than it was last. Mine is not "negative take" at all. It merely that unlike you I do not require the binky of happy delusion to enjoy the season, which, as I said in my post, I fully expect to do.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Hope not..

In Duggars case his contract makes it nonsensical to cut him. I think that either being part of a rotation, or a back up may have caused issues with him, and they just aren’t going to have that in the locker room. If White has a similar issue they will probably move him as well.

 

[TomPatriot]

Ok thats fair. Hawkins lined up on the box 31% of the time last year. I think Woodson is the opposite. He is a more of a box, and will line up just outside of it in the strong with a backpedal. He has potential to be versatile going sideline to sideline. In college, he was at FS 45%, SS 35%, and slot 20%. It will be an interesting year.

That fella has radar, too. He has a chance to be really good. We’ll see.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I’m guessing it’s a scheme thing more than any other reason. They seemed really excited in the draft when they got Woodson.

I think it was going from Captain to being a part of a rotation or second string. It’s just a guess but I would bet Peppers didn’t like it so Vrabel let him go.

 

[Mike the Brit]

I have read all 395 pages of this thread, and here are the theories so far. These are not all mine, brothers. They are a compilation of your's.

1. Peppers was released because of something that transpired between Tuesday and today. It could be off field, failed drug test, white sugar boogers, locker room problem worse than Joe Milton, legal issues, RLKAG, etc...

It is, of course, possible, but no reporter has indicated anything of the sort

2. Peppers was released because he was not a scheme fit.

That contradicts the fact that he was starting in a 2 DT, 2 Edge Rushers, 2 Off-the ball linebackers, 2 Run support safeties, 1 coverage safety, 1 slot corner, 2 edge corner formation at the beginning of the first pre-season game. He was very well suited to "big nickel", as is Dugger.

Because Peppers was cut today rather than Tuesday, the front office is pathetic and in disarray. It is Wolf's fault. It is Jonathan Kraft's fault. Vrabel has no idea what he is doing and just makes mistake after mistake. He is clearly an incompetent buffoon. We need to bring back BB. This team just went from playoff contender to 5-12.

Cutting him at all is puzzling. But only doing it after the 53 was announced is even more puzzling.

3. Peppers was held with the thought he would be traded, but that fell through.

If so, it is strange that we heard all about the team trying for a trade for Dugger, but nothing about Peppers. Now Dugger is on the roster (but for how long?) but Peppers isn't.

4. Vrabel simply valued Eric Gregory more than Peppers.

If you ask me, you can have too many backup defensive tackles.

5. Vrabel is vindictive and trying to clear the roster of every BB leftover regardless of talent. Vrabel does not care about winning. He just wants to get rid of BB guys. Tomorrow Gonzo, Barmore, White, Rham, Mapu, Dugger, and all the other BB players will either be traded, cut, or assassinated because that is just who Vrabel is.

Hard to believe, but office politics (not what you do but whose guy you are) does play a big role in dysfunctional organizations.

6. Vrabel did it to make Sam mad to he would leave this forum and go to the Eagles.

Not likely to work

7. Peppers requested his release and it was granted because Vrabel makes a horrible date.

Possible, but Vrabel would have to be a pretty big a-hole to do that.

I'll add a couple more:

1. When Terrell Williams finally returned he had a look at the defense as it had been set up while he was away and didn't like what he saw, so decided to get rid of Dugger and Peppers.

2. When Terrell Williams finally returned Dugger and Peppers had a look at their defensive co-ordinator and didn't like what they saw, so were sent to the dog-house.

 

[Brotherblues]

I have read all 395 pages of this thread, and here are the theories so far. These are not all mine, brothers. They are a compilation of your's.

1. Peppers was released because of something that transpired between Tuesday and today. It could be off field, failed drug test, white sugar boogers, locker room problem worse than Joe Milton, legal issues, RLKAG, etc...

2. Peppers was released because he was not a scheme fit. Because Peppers was cut today rather than Tuesday, the front office is pathetic and in disarray. It is Wolf's fault. It is Jonathan Kraft's fault. Vrabel has no idea what he is doing and just makes mistake after mistake. He is clearly an incompetent buffoon. We need to bring back BB. This team just went from playoff contender to 5-12.

3. Peppers was held with the thought he would be traded, but that fell through.

4. Vrabel simply valued Eric Gregory more than Peppers.

5. Vrabel is vindictive and trying to clear the roster of every BB leftover regardless of talent. Vrabel does not care about winning. He just wants to get rid of BB guys. Tomorrow Gonzo, Barmore, White, Rham, Mapu, Dugger, and all the other BB players will either be traded, cut, or assassinated because that is just who Vrabel is.

6. Vrabel did it to make Sam mad to he would leave this forum and go to the Eagles.

7. Peppers requested his release and it was granted because Vrabel makes a horrible date.

Thanks for that.

I'll add another:

Could it be as simple as Peppers and Dugger being redundant? They fully expected to trade Dugger. Once that didn't pan out it came down to which contract was easier for a release.

It explains the timing of the move.

Edit: I'm not the only one thinking along these lines

 

[Huckleberry1]

I think anyone Vrab didn’t sign or draft should keep a real estate agent on standby.

That’s normally the case when you inherit the worst roster in football. Why would players be safe when the team sucks ass?

 

[Love The Drake]

I think it was going from Captain to being a part of a rotation or second string. It’s just a guess but I would bet Peppers didn’t like it so Vrabel let him go.

Agree I think it’s a mix of scheme, perceived value, and locker room culture.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Thanks for that.

I'll add another:

Could it be as simple as Peppers and Dugger being redundant? They fully expected to trade Dugger. Once that didn't pan out it came down to which contract was easier for a release.

It explains the timing of the release.

This is actually one of the most likely takes so far.

 

[TomPatriot]

I think it was going from Captain to being a part of a rotation or second string. It’s just a guess but I would bet Peppers didn’t like it so Vrabel let him go.

Maybe he’s just washed. Idk.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

I think that’s twisting the narrative to make Bourne look worse than it was in reality. Reportedly they asked Bourne to take a pay cut, so they weren’t dead set on cutting him for performance. And if he didn’t respond to the pay cut request by asking to be released he had to know that turning it down made his release a lot more likely.

To use Vrabel’s analogy, when the girl turned down the ring for being too cheap she didn’t exactly break up with the boy, but she did make a breakup more likely.

That’s fair, I agree with your take. They may have kept Bourne if he took a pay cut, and dropped someone else from the roster.

 

[Uptown]

IVWT…

 

[Real fan 02]

I remember some saying it was so the young guys could get reps with him but it looks like that wasn't the case.

Agreed. There is always something worth paying attention to when an accomplished veteran is playing in the 4th quarter or playing at all in a meaningless preseason game. Especially the last one. Callahan mentioned on his podcast that and NFL executive told him it was something related to off the field. That's a strong possibility as this release was very sudden. With him being on 2nd team recently and then possible something happened off the field could have been the ultimate reason.

 

[Real fan 02]

That’s fair, I agree with your take. They may have kept Bourne if he took a pay cut, and dropped someone else from the roster.

Bourne was still the 6th wr in on the pecking order even if he stayed. I believe he saw the writing on the wall and asked for his release after the trade with the Vikings fell through.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Maybe he’s just washed. Idk.

That could be too, hard saying not knowing. But in that case we will know when he signs elsewhere and starts playing.

 

[BobDigital]

Even if Peppers had a reduced role this year, considering how much of his money this year and overall was still GTD on his contract, IDK why they don't keep him. It isn't like Dugger is likely to be here next year. So now that he's gone this year and Dugger is gone next, they will find themselves thin at a position which should have had good depth.

If the goal here is to save money, i'm totally okay with that. But what will they be spending it on this year? If they aren't going to use that money to improve the roster this year... I don't see the point.

Now they are in a position where the question is do they want to release Dugger in 2026? I mean, you kind of burnt some bridges with him with all this public trade talk. So any extension favorable to you isn't happening. And his only reason to extend was if he wanted to stay here as to maximize he money he would have been better forcing your hand to either pay him in 2026 or cut him. So now with Peppers gone they kind of forced themselves into a bad position where letting Dugger walk hurts more.

 

[BobDigital]

Hope not..

I wouldn't hate White being cut... but it be interesting... basically his entire contract this year is GTD. But next year has basically no GTD money to speak of... so the question about cutting him simply comes down to is this team better with him on or off it.

Right now you have 5 edge guys... White may be the 5th currently behind even Ponder and Jennings. White is kind of built more like a DT on this team right now... At some point assuming Swinson continues to improve the question will be asked is this team better with him not on the roster if his play continues as is. And at some point this year i see that answer being yes.

 

[Bill Lee]

Even if Peppers had a reduced role this year, considering how much of his money this year and overall was still GTD on his contract, IDK why they don't keep him. It isn't like Dugger is likely to be here next year. So now that he's gone this year and Dugger is gone next, they will find themselves thin at a position which should have had good depth.

If the goal here is to save money, i'm totally okay with that. But what will they be spending it on this year? If they aren't going to use that money to improve the roster this year... I don't see the point.

It suggests this is about making room for others to step up so that next year's loss of Dugger isn't as impactful.

 

[BobDigital]

Bentley not a fan of this

I like Bentley. I appreciate what he did here. He played hard and did his job.

That being said... He got hurt 12 months ago, with an injury that regular people with regular bodies with regular HC can heal within 12 months even in the most extreme cases. Yet no one has come knocking. This to me is a bit of, dare i say it, sour grapes that he wasn't resigned. And i will also add, i wouldn't consider Bentley an authority on what great play is or isn't.