The Pittsburgh Steelers simply signed S Jabrill Peppers, including veteran depth to the secondary after dropping S DeShon Elliott final week to a knee harm, which is anticipated to sideline Elliott for a few weeks.
Peppers will work to leap on the shifting practice rapidly as Pittsburgh gears as much as face the Seattle Seahawks this coming Sunday in Pittsburgh. Peppers is up for the problem, having performed in 99 profession video games with 85 begins, and having a wealth of expertise that the veteran security brings to the desk.
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If you watch the tape on Peppers, you rapidly see why he was an excellent selection to assist each fill Elliott’s footwear whereas he misses time and add further depth to Pittsburgh’s security room. The 5-11, 217-pound Peppers is a bodily defender with the demeanor of a rugged linebacker on the place. He’s prepared to stay his face within the fan as an aggressive tackler.
As you may see within the clip under, he brings some nasty on contact, blowing up WR Davante Adams whereas coming from downhill, separating the ball from the person identical to Jalen Ramsey did final weekend to seal the victory for Pittsburgh.
Peppers has performed all around the subject throughout his time within the league, lining up within the field, within the slot, as a deep security, and even on the sting now and again. His measurement, energy, and demeanor make him a robust choice in run assist, identical to Elliott has been for Pittsburgh. He fights by means of and round blocks to make tackles close to the road of scrimmage, like he does within the reps under towards the New York Jets.
For being sub-220 kilos, Peppers performs a lot greater than his listed measurement would recommend. He’s prepared to tackle tight ends and offensive tackles as a downhill run defender and struggle stress to make performs. Watch this rep towards the Colts, the place Peppers fights the block of the tight finish, taking over his inside shoulder and knocking him backward, getting in place to journey up QB Anthony Richardson on the designed QB run.
In terms of protection, Peppers is a greater zone protection defender than in man protection, being at his greatest when he’s freed as much as make drops into area and use his eyes and instincts to make performs on the soccer. Try this interception Peppers will get towards Josh Allen and the Payments, the place he drops initially to the flat, however then floats upward as he sees Allen goal TE Dalton Kincaid, leaping the route for the choose.
Peppers is a succesful robust security, however he has additionally seen loads of time as a deep free security, making his drops into protection and making performs on the soccer. Right here’s a flashback to when Peppers picked off Mitch Trubisky again in 2023 as he dropped again on the snap. He then learn the play and undercut the route, snagging the interception and managing to choose up some further yardage on the runback.
Peppers missed period of time final season with foot and hamstring accidents, however he nonetheless managed to make 40 whole tackles (20 solo) and picked off a cross in six video games performed. His interception got here towards San Francisco, the place he helped double cowl WR Brandon Aiyuk, drifting upward in protection to step in entrance of Aiyuk for the choose in the long run zone.
As talked about earlier, Peppers’ man protection isn’t as nice as the large security isn’t as fleet of foot, giving up preliminary separation to the tight finish within the clip above on the in-breaking route. Nevertheless, his pursuit does stick out on tape as he chases after QB Jaxson Dart scrambling from the pocket. Peppers arrives on the scene to get well the fumble by Dart, securing the turnover in preseason play this 12 months.
Peppers could also be simply out of his prime at almost 30 years outdated, however he’s nonetheless a bodily, aggressive security who can assist fill Elliott’s absence whereas he’s sidelined. As soon as Elliott returns, Peppers can nonetheless be a contributing member in Pittsburgh’s secondary. He has that versatility that HC Mike Tomlin has emphasised including to his roster this offseason, as Peppers can feasibly line up almost wherever requested of him.
Peppers must get on the shifting practice to have the ability to see motion this coming weekend towards the Seahawks. Nonetheless, anticipate to see Peppers get thrown on the market in choose packages whereas mixing in with Chuck Clark as Juan Thornhill mans the opposite security spot, having the chance to earn extra taking part in time the sooner he can get the playbook down and alter to his new house within the Black and Gold.
