CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Browns safety Jabrill Peppers was not happy about how his rookie season went in the National Football League, but it was, by no means, a waste of time for the one-time Heisman Trophy finalist.
For Peppers, the 2017 season was a learning experience that gave him even more motivation to make plays now that he is back to his more natural position of strong safety. And if the early returns from training camp are any indication, Peppers could be wreaking havoc in opposing backfields in 2018.
“He's out here making plays,” linebacker Christian Kirksey said prior to Wednesday’s practice.
“I think a year under his belt got him a chance to learn it, to be more knowledgeable of the game and I feel like now he's just comfortable. He's playing loose. He's playing freely and I was excited to see him making plays, especially in this training camp.”
One of three first-round picks for the Browns in 2017, Peppers played in 13 games during his rookie season.
In those 13 games, Peppers made 57 total tackles, including 44 solo stops and 13 assists, with three passes defended and one interception in the season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers. On special teams, Peppers gained 318 yards on 14 kickoff returns and averaged 6.0 yards over 30 punt runbacks.
“Very energetic, very vocal,” safety Damarious Randall said. “He is a very enthusiastic player, and he is a guy that’s going to fly around. He’s a guy that likes to blitz, and he likes to be close to the line of scrimmage.”
Kirksey added, “He can play multiple positions. We can move him around. He's the type of guy who whatever the coach asks him to do he'll do it and he can do it well.”
With Peppers playing closer to the line of scrimmage instead of being 30 yards off the ball, as he was a year ago, his Browns teammates feel the second-year defensive back will make a return to his game-breaking talents from the University of Michigan.
In three years at Michigan, Peppers made 86 solo tackles and assisted on 33 other stops, including 18.5 for lost yardage with three sacks. Peppers intercepted one pass and defended 10 others in 12 games for the Wolverines during the 2016 season.
Additionally, Peppers accounted for 167 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries and a combined total of 570 return yards, as well as one punt-return score last fall.
“He has a good understanding of what is expected of him,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said. “I think that he is playing to that. I think that he is very comfortable in his second year with his teammates. He has been very vocal, which is good. Here is a young, emerging player that is really starting to get it and play really good football.
“We do what we need to do. That is what I like about our football team. They are all in, and they will do anything that the coaches ask them to do.”
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