Patriots Rumors: Jabrill Peppers Agrees to New 2-Year Contract in Free Agency

The New England Patriots are bringing back Jabrill Peppers.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the 27-year-old will re-sign with the Patriots on a two-year deal after spending the 2022 season in New England.

The Patriots originally signed Peppers to a one-year contract as a free agent last offseason. He became a key rotation player for head coach Bill Belichick, appearing in all 17 games.

While questions still remain about what New England's offense will look like in 2023, the defense is shaping up to look a lot like the unit that finished 10th in points allowed per game last season.

Peppers' re-signing comes after cornerback Jonathan Jones agreed to a two-year deal on Monday, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Last season was a key bounce back for Peppers. He only played six games for the New York Giants in 2021 before suffering a torn ACL. It was the second time in three years he suffered a major injury.

Peppers' 2019 campaign came to an end after 11 games when he suffered a transverse process fracture in his back.

Safety depth became an area of need for the Patriots entering free agency after Devin McCourty announced his retirement after 13 seasons last week. He has been a rock in the secondary, having started every game dating back to the 2016 season.

Peppers has a hybrid skill set that allows him to play the run and pass, though he's not great in any area. It has led to him being labeled as a "tweener," even going back to his time as a draft prospect in 2017.

Belichick has a history of adding players with specific skill sets and maximizing their abilities. Peppers had one of the most productive seasons of his career last season, racking up 60 tackles despite playing just 35 percent of the defensive snaps.

McCourty's retirement opens up a potential starting role for Peppers, though Adrian Phillips is also on the roster and made eight starts in 2022.