Ahead of the 2025 NFL season, the New England Patriots have released veteran safety Jabrill Peppers, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Nonetheless, could the Las Vegas Raiders be a potential landing spot for the 29-year-old?
Following the reporting of Peppers’ release, The Athletic’s senior writer Ted Nguyen tipped Las Vegas as a potential landing spot for the former Patriots player. The reason? Nguyen cites a potential maneuver in the Raiders‘ defense.
“Raiders would make a ton of sense,” Nguyen wrote on X. “They’ve been wanting an upgrade at box safety so Chinn could play more nickel. They could also pick his brain about the NE defense and there’s the revenge factor in week 1.”
Jabrill Peppers Brings Veteran Experience
The Raiders‘ defense has a lot of question marks entering the season, so adding a player of Peppers’ caliber would be ideal. Peppers has played 99 career games with 85 starts, recording 470 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and seven interceptions.
Peppers earned praise from former coaches Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo for his physical and hard-hitting style, particularly against the run. Last season, the Raiders were in the middle of the pack in rush defense. They were 13th in rushing yards allowed (1,987), 17th in rushing yards per attempt (4.4 yards), and 15th in rushing touchdowns allowed (14).
Moreover, the 5-foot-11 defender’s role in first-year head coach Mike Vrabel’s new scheme developed throughout training camp. Peppers started on the first unit before other players moved ahead of him in recent weeks, leading to his release.
Can the Raiders build a defense around Maxx Crosby?
When Las Vegas gave Maxx Crosby a three-year extension worth $106.5 million, with $91.5 million guaranteed, to keep him in Las Vegas through the 2029 season, it was the first step in building a defense with him at the head of the unit and fulfilling his desire to win.
“I’ve said it a million times, I feel like I was meant to be a Raider,” Crosby said on March 5 during the announcement of his new contract extension. “I love being here. I love the people. You look at all the legends that created what this brand is, and that’s winning. Ted Hendricks, Marcus Allen, Charles Woodson, the guys like that that I look up to. That’s what I want to solidify, and those guys are all about winning…
“I’m not going to sit here and make a bunch of big predictions about what I’m going to do next year. I’m focused on being the best version of me today, and I’ll worry about tomorrow when it gets here. I’m truly just focused on the details and fine-tuning my craft in every single way across the board. Of course, I’m extremely motivated and excited every time my alarm goes off at 5 a.m. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Whether it’s the draft, free agency, or trade, the Raiders are on the clock. The Silver and Black have to secure talent to maximize their window with Crosby. Peppers isn’t a game-changer. However, he does fill a need that Las Vegas have as they look to become one of the teams that can go from last place and into a playoff berth.
Raiders Suggested as Landing Spot for 470-Tackle Standout