Over the last two years in New England, Peppers has played in 32 games, recording 87 solo tackles and 51 assists. His roster spot wasn’t really in doubt heading into training camp, but now he has even more reason to feel secure.
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He signed a three-year, $24 million contract extension Friday. Coach Jerrod Mayo confirmed the deal before Friday’s camp session, but did not initially release any numbers. Peppers was not available for comment Friday.
“I am very happy, for Peppers and for his family, and also for our team and organization,” Mayo said before camp. “He really embodies everything that we want on the field. He’s very selfless, he’s out there flying around all the time.”
Though this will be Peppers’s eighth year in the NFL, it seems as if he’s finally found a place he can call home. Unlike some teammates who have expressed displeasure with their lack of extensions, Peppers wasn’t focused on the status of his contract when he spoke with media Wednesday on the first day of camp.
“I definitely want to be here,” Peppers said. “But at the end of the day, I pay somebody to do the business. My job is just go out there and be who I am, be the best version of myself and try to get the best out of my guys. I love the area, not too far from home, it’s the perfect fit for me, and I love the guys here.”
The safety was a 2017 first-round draft pick by Cleveland, where he remained for two seasons before being traded to the Giants. Peppers played in New York until April 2022, when the Patriots signed him as an unrestricted free agent. His style of play meshed with what former coach Bill Belichick wanted, and since, he’s blossomed into a reliable pillar of the defense.
For Mayo, it took a bit of adjusting to get used to Peppers and his excitement, but he understands the value of having a player like Peppers on the field.
“I will be honest with you when he first got here, [the energy] was a little bit much for me. But I do appreciate it,” Mayo said. “He brings that passion and brings that energy each and every day. He’s one of our best communicators on defense along with [Kyle Dugger].”
The duo of Peppers and Dugger has proved to be a real source of strength on defense.
The pair are able to swap between the free safety and strong safety positions and are leaders on the field. According to Peppers, they’ve gotten very comfortable playing off each other.
“We’re both very cerebral players. We think [through] the game, we see a lot of the things the same way,” he said. “I think it helps with our disguises, you know, when we’re not at the same spot down in and down out.”
Plus, their friendship is just as strong off the field.
“That’s my dog,” Dugger said. “We definitely have a tight relationship. He’s super high energy, so I love going out there with him. He’s able to really, you know, mix and match really well and the chemistry continues to grow between us.”
As it stands, the team looks stronger on defense then offense, but Peppers says this is just the beginning.
It reflects the kind of player he is — one who always wants to work. After battling a transverse process fracture (back), torn ACL, and other injuries earlier in his career, he’s learned not to take his time on the field for granted.
“We just got to keep building you know, right now, it’s just the foundation. We know we can take this thing, but we got to do it bit by bit, can’t skip any steps,” Peppers said.
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