After signing Malcolm Butler last week, the Patriots have reportedly made another addition to their secondary. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter and Mike Reiss, they have agreed to a one-year deal with free-agent safety Jabrill Peppers.
The Patriots hosted Peppers for a visit on Monday. The 26-year-old is coming off a torn ACL, but Schefter reports that he is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.
Peppers adds more versatility to the Patriots' defense, which we know Bill Belichick loves. He has played mostly strong safety, lining up in and around the box, but has also played some slot cornerback.
Another mark in his favor is that he plays special teams, including as a punt and kick returner. With Gunner Olszewski departing in free agency, it's possible that Peppers could immediately step in as the Patriots' top returner.
Peppers was a first-round pick (25th overall) of the Browns back in 2017. He was traded to the Giants in 2019 in the deal that sent Odell Beckham Jr. to Cleveland. In New York, he played two seasons under Joe Judge, who is now back with the Patriots as an offensive assistant.
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