As Kansas City Chiefs fans know, the team could use some secondary help, specifically on the back end. However, the pickings are slim at this stage of the NFL offseason, making it hard to address a quietly glaring need. That’s why time should be of the essence after the New England Patriots’ shocking decision to release veteran safety Jabril Peppers.
New England cut Peppers with $4.32 million in guaranteed money remaining on the three-year, $24 million contract extension he signed last July, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Patriots’ willingness to eat salary to move on from one of their better defenders over the past few campaigns certainly raises eyebrows. Nonetheless, one man’s trash is another’s treasure; the Chiefs must not let this opportunity pass them by.
Patriots gift Chiefs golden opportunity to address secondary needs with Jabril Peppers release
Hip, shoulder and hamstring issues limited Peppers to just six games in 2024, though that wasn’t the only factor. He spent time on the Commissioner Exempt List while facing charges of assault, strangulation, and drug possession, but has since been acquitted. Nevertheless, when on the field, he was still among the Pats’ most effective contributors.
Peppers amassed 40 tackles (two for loss), two pass deflections, a forced fumble and an interception last year. The 2017 first-round pick is a Swiss Army knife, as was on full display during his time in Foxborough. New England has deployed him as a chess piece who can line up at multiple levels of the field, which has proved fruitful.
Whether it be in the box or as a traditional defensive back, New England maximized Peppers. Surely, the brilliant mind of longtime Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo would find ways to exploit his skill set. Kansas City can benefit from both the ex-Patriot standout’s talent and his experience as an established commodity.
Turning 30 in October, Peppers has nearly a decade of pro experience. He can fill the void left by Justin Reid’s free agency departure as the leader of a solid young Chiefs safety group. They’re sorely lacking an adult in the room, but the Pats have given them a means of replacing the two-time Super Bowl champion.
In response to the Peppers news, Pro Football Focus (PFF) shared that he has a 90.1 player grade over the past two campaigns. That mark ranks fourth among safeties, which is pretty good, if you ask us. The one-time Michigan star impacts the game in various ways, thriving as a run-stopper, solid blitzer and can even be a special teams ace. Coverage hasn’t always been a strong suit for him, though that wasn’t the case last season.
