Former New York Giants’ S Jabrill Peppers signs with New England Patriots

Jabrill Peppers signed with the New England Patriots on Tuesday, following former New York Giants head coach Joe Judge to Foxboro

Former New York Giants safety, and special teams captain, Jabrill Peppers signed with the New England Patriots Tuesday, according to an ESPN report..

Peppers follows former Giants head coach Joe Judge to Foxboro, after Judge previously advocated for New York to re-sign Peppers when the veteran safety and former first-round pick tore his ACL and injured his ankle in the same play last season.

Why New York Giants didn’t make effort to re-sign Jabrill Peppers

In three seasons with the New York Giants, after arriving in East Rutherford as part of 2018’s blockbuster trade that sent Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns, Peppers produced 196 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, and intercepted two passes with one returned for a touchdown.

Peppers became far more effective as a box safety than in coverage, over the past two seasons.

The New York Giants clearly have decided to move in a younger direction at safety, after allowing Peppers to walk and releasing fellow veteran Logan Ryan earlier this month. There is a legitimate chance that the Giants target one of the premier safety prospects in next year’s NFL Draft, to pair alongside rising safety Xavier McKinney, in the secondary.

Depending on his health, it would be easy to envision the Patriots not only giving Peppers the opportunity to run a rotational role in the secondary but also reprise his role as a return specialist.