New Patriots assistants praise versatility, physicality of Marcus Jones, Jabrill Peppers
"Watching [Marcus Jones's] tape, I saw a more physical player than I expected to see."
Mike Vrabel and the Patriots have spent a hefty chunk of salary cap on upgrades to their defense this offseason.
That said, there are still more than a few capable hands leftover from a 2024 New England defense that — along with many key areas of the team — underperformed.
As the Patriots gear up for voluntary workouts and new coaches begin studying and working with players for the first time, a pair of defensive assistants had glowing reviews for defensive backs Marcus Jones and Jabrill Peppers.
New cornerbacks coach Justin Hamilton noted that Jones has the versatility to play either in the slot or outside as a cornerback. The new pairing of Carlton Davis alongside Christian Gonzalez suggests the majority of Jones’s snaps will come in nickel and dime packages, but Hamilton sees plenty of value in the fourth-year corner’s play style.
“Watching his tape, I saw a more physical player than I expected to see,” Hamilton said, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “He’s a fit for us in the DB room. My conversations with him, it’s been a young man that has an older soul — very mature and communicates really well.”
Hamilton also sees a lot of value in Jones as a two-way threat, noting that Jones is “not the same as Travis Hunter, but a lot of similarities in that way.”
Jones is only 5-foot-8 and listed as 175 pounds, but hasn’t been shy about getting involved in the run game and making tackles early in his career.
Peppers joined the Patriots in 2022 and signed an extension in 2024, keeping him tied to the organization through 2027. The veteran safety also spent time at linebacker in college at Michigan, so he’s certainly not shy about his physicality either.
Vrabel’s defensive style leans on versatility, and Peppers could thrive in that scheme, similarly to the role former All-Pro Kevin Byard played for Vrabel in Tennessee.
“When you watch his tape, the first thing that jumps out is violence,” safeties coach Scott Booker said of Peppers. “Love that violence from him.”
New England’s defense is expected to improve significantly under Vrabel and his new staff, and both Peppers and Jones could be key contributors in 2025.
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