Months after signing a Patriots extension, Jabrill Peppers has run into off-field trouble. The veteran safety was arrested over the weekend on assault and drug charges.
Peppers is facing charges of assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation and the possession of a class B substance, Boston25’s Ryan Breslin reports. The arrest occurred early Saturday morning. Jerod Mayo confirmed during a WEEI appearance (via the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed) that the eighth-year safety informed him of the arrest.
“I mean, look, he called me that morning. I knew what was going on,” Mayo said. “And the NFL, we’ve informed the NFL what was going on and we’re still gathering information.”
In addition to Peppers’ trouble with authorities, a future NFL suspension under the league’s personal conduct policy likely looms. Part of Peppers’ 2025 base salary is fully guaranteed; a ban will threaten to void that $2.5M figure. Peppers did not play against the Dolphins in Week 5 due to injury.
Peppers turned 29 on Friday, and this arrest is believed to have occurred shortly after. Teams rarely take action in terms of suspensions, letting the NFL handle those matters. Suspensions generally occur down the road, as cases play out. The Pats downgraded Peppers from questionable to out Saturday, which is not exactly common for teams not traveling that week. The NFL can act by putting Peppers on the commissioner’s exempt list, but the league rarely goes down the paid-leave route.
The former Browns first-round pick is in his third season with the Patriots. He started 15 games last season and earned a three-year, $24M extension this summer. Before suffering a shoulder injury, Peppers started all four New England games this season. He is sitting on 23 tackles and one interception thus far this season.