The New England Patriots are releasing veteran safety Jabrill Peppers, ESPN reported on Friday.
Peppers, 29, signed a three-year, $24 million extension with the team last summer and was named a team captain. He has $4.32 million guaranteed remaining on his deal for this season.
Peppers played in just six games last season due to both injury and time on the commissioner’s exempt list after he was the subject of a domestic violence charge. He was acquitted of multiple assault charges in January.
“I had to be quiet for three months,” Peppers told reporters outside the courthouse in January in Braintree, Mass. “This was all I could think about. This was the first time in my life where football wasn’t the most important thing on my mind. I had to just sit through everybody pouring dirt on my name. Everybody, for the most part, actually thinking that I did these things. But, to me, crimes against children and women are the most egregious things that you could do. And to be accused of that, it just hurt.”
With the expected departure of Peppers, veteran Jaylinn Hawkins, fourth-round pick Craig Woodson, Kyle Dugger, Dell Pettus and special teamer Brenden Schooler are the remaining safeties in New England.
Peppers has totaled 511 tackles, seven interceptions, 5.5 sacks, six forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries in 99 career games (85 starts) with the Cleveland Browns (2017-18), New York Giants (2019-21) and Patriots. He was selected by the Browns with the 25th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Michigan.
