Patriots FanNation Notebook: Peppers to Patriots? Butler Buzz is ‘Old News’ and More
With the 2022 Annual League Meetings underway in Palm Beach, Florida, the New England Patriots’ ‘powers that be’ continue to do their due diligence in building their roster. In the meantime, New England remains committed to making the moves which they feel to be in the best interest of their football team. Sometimes those efforts work in their favor, while some do not.
From an intriguing potential Patriots defensive back being hosted on a free agent workout to the dismantling of an iconic Gillette Stadium structure, here are the latest notes from Foxboro, courtesy of the Patriots FanNation Notebook.
Patriots Host S Jabrill Peppers on Free Agent Visit
In an effort to strengthen their secondary, while bolstering their return game, the Patriots hosted safety Jabrill Peppers on a free agency visit on Monday, according to a report by ESPN’s Field Yates.
The 26-year-old was the first-round draft selection by the Cleveland Browns [25th overall] in the 2017 NFL Draft. The former Michigan Wolverine appeared in 29 games for the Browns throughout his first two years in the NFL. During that time, Peppers started all 29 contests, compiling 137 total tackles (six, for loss), eight passes-defensed, and two interceptions.
In 2019, Peppers was traded to the New York Giants, as part of the deal which sent Odell Beckham Jr. to Cleveland. Peppers spent three seasons with the Giants, playing 32 total games and amassing 196 total tackles (15, for loss), 17 passes-defensed, 3.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and two interceptions. He suffered a torn ACL in October 2021, ending his season.
As Peppers remains unsigned to date, the Pats interest in his services should not be surprising. Over the course of his five-year NFL career, he has aligned at box safety, free safety, wide cornerback, slot cornerback, hybrid linebacker and even taken some snaps on the defensive line. Peppers also has plenty of experience on special teams, having compiled 117 career returns on both punt and kick return duties.
In addition to his versatility, Peppers likely caught the organization’s sharp eye thanks in part to their new offensive assistant Joe Judge. The safety played the past two seasons under Judge, as he served as the Giants’ head coach.
Should Peppers choose to sign with the Patriots, he would join Devin McCourty, Adrian Phillips and Kyle Dugger as the Pats regulars at the safety position for 2022.
Butler’s back…the rest is just ‘old news’
While most fans and media alike have praised the Patriots decision to reunite with cornerback Malcolm Butler [who recently agreed to a two-year deal with New England], many continue to wonder if there is any lingering acrimony stemming from Butler’s benching by head coach Bill Belichick in Super Bowl LII.
On Monday morning, Belichick met with the media for the first time this offseason at the NFL Annual Meeting. In doing so, he addressed a myriad of topics, including Butler’s return to Foxboro.
Much to the chagrin of the parasitic seekers of turmoil, the ‘HC of the NEP’ wasted little time in debunking any remaining conspiracy theories.
“He indicated a desire to play this year, and we worked through the process with Malcolm, like we do with every player,” Belichick told reporters. “Obviously, we know him, but he came up, visited last week, so we signed him. Look forward to having him back.”
When asked about Super Bowl LII during Monday’s news conference, Belichick replied: “That’s all old news.”
Belichick concluded his remarks on the 32-year-old cornerback by declaring their relationship as “great” and that he is “glad to have him back.”
Lighthouse Down
Since 2001, Gillette Stadium has been home to the New England Patriots. While that fact is almost certain to remain the case for quite a long time, the venue and its surrounding structures are undergoing significant renovation.
As part of a major reconstruction announced in December 2021, the iconic Gillette Stadium lighthouse [standing over the north end zone] was dismantled last week to make way for a new and improved version.
The lighthouse and the adjoining bridge have become synonymous with the Patriots’ home stadium, even being featured on its logo. The new lighthouse-bridge structure will feature a 360-degree observation deck and stand at 218 feet.
The Gillette Stadium renovation project is expected to be completed ahead of the NFL’s 2023 season. In addition to the new lighthouse, 75,000 square feet of hospitality and function space will be added, as well as a high-definition video board, expected to be the largest of its kind. The Kraft Family, who owns the Patriots and Gillette Stadium, will invest a total of $225 million in the project.
