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

[Real fan 02]

I know there were several plays at the practices I went to where I noticed him making plays. Shame on me for not seeing it but I made my decision up on him last year and didn't really give him enough credit this summer. Had I been more open minded maybe I would have seen it coming.

And even still I somehow don't really believe in him. It's hard for me to picture him better than Dugg or Pep. Hopefully he really is that much better than last year.

Thanks for that insight as you were there physically and got to see it first hand. I admittedly soured on him last season when I saw him drop like at least 2 int's. I thought to myself dmac would had never done that. Hawkins is a guy that is a direct beneficiary of coaching. Sure he's likely more comfortable in his time being a patriot. But the coaches likely are asking him to do the things he's good at and what got him to the NFL. That is what good coaching does for a player enhance the skills you have and then incorporate other things as you go along.

 

[TheRainMaker]

So he pretty answers the question that Vrabel demoted Dugger and released Peppers because they aren't compatible in his scheme. Analysts have said Vrabel wants back peddlers and those two aren't it. Peppers doesn't seem to realize the coverage in the back end has been atrocious since McCourty left.

 

[Real fan 02]

So he pretty answers the question that Vrabel demoted Dugger and released Peppers because they aren't compatible in his scheme. Analysts have said Vrabel wants back peddlers and those two aren't it. Peppers doesn't seem to realize the coverage in the back end has been atrocious since McCourty left.

You pretty much summed it up. We have 2 excellent CBs in gonzo and Davis, and a nice slot cb in Jones. The guys on the outside will be playing cat coverage as Vrabel's mentioned. Having safeties that can command the deep half to prevent big plays is enormous. Woodson fits the bill and to a lesser degree so does Hawkins. I feel peppers was approached about a lesser role and it didn't sit well. Also the fact he wasn't going to be here likely past this season anyway.

 

[Real fan 02]

I know there were several plays at the practices I went to where I noticed him making plays. Shame on me for not seeing it but I made my decision up on him last year and didn't really give him enough credit this summer. Had I been more open minded maybe I would have seen it coming.

And even still I somehow don't really believe in him. It's hard for me to picture him better than Dugg or Pep. Hopefully he really is that much better than last year.

 

[Patjew]

If only this were a top-53 players contest, Peppers would still be here.

 

[signbabybrady]

If only this were a top-53 players contest, Peppers would still be here.

Sometimes we lose sight in building a team vs finding talent so you have a very valid point. Doesn't change me from hating the move lol.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

Sometimes we lose sight in building a team vs finding talent so you have a very valid point. Doesn't change me from hating the move lol.

I don't like the move.
Doesn't mean that there isn't a valid reason he's gone, and more to the story that we don't know about, but....
Honestly ask ourselves, are we a better team with or without Peppers?
Hard to argue we are better without him.

 

[zydecochris]

You want 2004 Bill back, not the one that drafted Cole Strange and made Fatt Matt OC,

Well, speaking of BB the GM rather than BB the coach, what was BB the GM really, really good at? Clearly in recent years it wasn’t drafting.

From what I understand, the reason Kraft (to his credit) hired BB in the first place and even gave up a 1st Rd draft pick to do so is that early BB had a very innovative way of managing the finances of a team, where he would set a certain valuation to each position and not budge. In a salary cap era, the goal wasn’t to save $$$ so much as not spending excessively on any position (to avoid problems like the present day Cowboys). This gave him plenty of $$ left over to spend on the non-stars, budget FA’s. Thus, the early Pats always seemed to have extraordinary depth, a mark of their early Championship teams.

That brings us to early BB the GM second greatest skill IMHO, assessing system fits to the Pats and finding quality UDFA’s, poaching promising players from other teams, and making cheap (in terms of draft capitol AND $) trades for players that fit the system, with the cheapest players often on expiring contracts.

This Peppers transaction seems very much like one of those early BB transactions. It saves a significant amount of future year $$ that can be used for other positions, Vrabel obviously felt that he was a poor system fit, and he seems to think that he can easily find a better system fit either by development of current players or adding a low cost FA later on. It kind of makes sense in a way.

 

[Real fan 02]

I don't like the move.
Doesn't mean that there isn't a valid reason he's gone, and more to the story that we don't know about, but....
Honestly ask ourselves, are we a better team with or without Peppers?
Hard to argue we are better without him.

I believe if we didn't have the cat coverage guys on the outside it makes the peppers move more glaring. He's been one of my favorite patriots since he got here. However the team likely has a valid reason to move off him. He'll catch on with a contender.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

I believe if we didn't have the cat coverage guys on the outside it makes the peppers move more glaring. He's been one of my favorite patriots since he got here. However the team likely has a valid reason to move off him. He'll catch on with a contender.

He was a tone setter, and a vocal guy.
I guess our new leader in that department will be Spillane?

 

[Real fan 02]

He was a tone setter, and a vocal guy.
I guess our new leader in that department will be Spillane?

Yep, Barmore, Landry as well. Those guys are very vocal. You need those guys on defense. Spillane definitely is a vocal leader and the guy never takes a play off.

 

[Steve102]

He was a tone setter, and a vocal guy.
I guess our new leader in that department will be Spillane?

Vrabel has divested himself and the team of a large swath of guys who were "leaders" on this team. I don't think that's a random fact. 27 of the 53 guys were on the 2024 Pats. I think if he could have gotten rid of more, he would, but someone has to play. To your point, leaders will rise to the top on their own. Spillane certainly looks like he'll be one, only from watching E3 of Forged In Fire. The others? Moses and Diggs look like candidates to at the very least lead their position group.

 

[Real fan 02]

I think this had to have been either

A. They cut him because of off field issues.

B. They cut him because he was going to take a reduced role, and he requested for his release.

If they really had no plans to at least use him in some capacity, he would’ve been cut days ago.

B. Is the likely the reason. Then he posted about Scheme fit, so that tells us it was strictly an on the feild decision.

 

[jimnance]

There was only one Rodney, my friend. Extremely hard to find a reasonable facsimile. Woodson seems to have all the tools. I'll settle for a good Woodson, and trust that Vrabel is filling his roster with players who can execute the game plan.

Still a sham he's not in the HOF.
An alltime great at his position.

 

[jimnance]

B. Is the likely the reason. Then he posted about Scheme fit, so that tells us it was strictly an on the feild decision.

But Vrabel says it's NOT about scheme fit.
Sorry. I'm taking Vrabel's word over Peppers every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Peppers is a good player but sounds like he was *****ing too much.
Herald has a story on it today but there's a pay wall and I ain't paying.
Anybody who's a Herald subscriber please feel free to enlighten all of us.

 

[Real fan 02]

But Vrabel says it's NOT about scheme fit.
Sorry. I'm taking Vrabel's word over Peppers every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Peppers is a good player but sounds like he was *****ing too much.
Herald has a story on it today but there's a pay wall and I ain't paying.
Anybody who's a Herald subscriber please feel free to enlighten all of us.

We agree. That's why I mentioned scheme. Go back to the last preseason game. I was actually shocked to see peppers playing in the game at all. I should have known something was up, then reports were that peppers had been on 2nd team defense. So what possibly could have happened is something internal. Disagreement, or not happy with a role, and just not a long-term fit in the defense. I'm just simply assuming here.

 

[n1997y]

If only this were a top-53 players contest, Peppers would still be here.

It is. Peppers is not here because he’s not in Vrabel’s list of top 53 players that are best for the Patriots team.

That modifier adds context that’s overlooked when evaluating individual,players by themselves. But that’s not what Vrabes is doing.

 

[n1997y]

I don't like the move.
Doesn't mean that there isn't a valid reason he's gone, and more to the story that we don't know about, but....
Honestly ask ourselves, are we a better team with or without Peppers?
Hard to argue we are better without him.

Obviously Vrabel thinks we are. I’m sure he honestly asked himself that question. And the present roster is his answer.

 

[Real fan 02]

Obviously Vrabel thinks we are. I’m sure he honestly asked himself that question. And the present roster is his answer.

Patriots' Insider Elaborates On Decision To Cut Peppers, Trade Rumors

The New England Patriots reportedly tried to trade safety Jabrill Peppers weeks ago, making the surprise release not so surprising.

heavy.com

 

[Real fan 02]

Vrabel has divested himself and the team of a large swath of guys who were "leaders" on this team. I don't think that's a random fact. 27 of the 53 guys were on the 2024 Pats. I think if he could have gotten rid of more, he would, but someone has to play. To your point, leaders will rise to the top on their own. Spillane certainly looks like he'll be one, only from watching E3 of Forged In Fire. The others? Moses and Diggs look like candidates to at the very least lead their position group.

Patriots Reportedly Attemped To Trade Jabrill Peppers Before Shocking Release

The Patriots are preparing for the Week 1 opener against the Raiders, which will kick off in less than week.

sports.yahoo.com