The trade of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns remains the New York Giants’ most-highlighted move of the offseason, often leading to stiff criticism of general manager Dave Gettleman.
However, an oft-overlooked aspect of that trade was what the Giants landed as part of their return — safety Jabrill Peppers.
From a rookie to a sophomore, Peppers made substantial leaps forward and there are now some pundits who wonder if he’s on the verge of becoming one of the league’s most dominant safeties.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report stopped short of suggesting that, but he did list Peppers as the Giants’ secret weapon over the weekend.
While the New York Giants were largely ridiculed for dealing both wideout Odell Beckham Jr. and Olivier Vernon to the Browns, New York did get a pair of quality players in return. It got one of the league’s best guards in Kevin Zeitler and a young, hungry safety in Jabrill Peppers.
Peppers is the player who could most surprise opponents this season. He started to come on late in 2018 and finished with 79 tackles, five passes defended, a sack and an interception. He’ll be a solid addition to the secondary, but he should also help improve the return game.
“The guy is a for-sure ball-handler,” special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey said, per Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com. “Can make all the cuts full-speed. He just brings juice.”
Peppers was a Heisman Trophy finalist at Michigan because of his versatility on defense and ability on special teams. While plenty of folks have likely forgotten about Peppers’ Heisman-worthy talents, the Giants will look to unleash them on opponents early and often this season.
If you listen to Peppers tell it, not only did the NFL slow down for him in 2018, but he now finds himself in a defense that seems uniquely tailored to his skills.
What that means for Peppers in 2019 remains to be seen, but there is enough evidence to believe he’s on the verge of stardom, which will begin with a single season as the Giants’ silent secret weapon.
from Giants Wire https://ift.tt/2JI2KA2
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