Eleven days after signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jabrill Peppers started and played 43 defensive snaps in a road victory against a quality team.
In the 10 weeks since, the veteran safety has been on the field for a total of only 23 defensive snaps.
“It’s been very tough – especially when you feel like you played pretty decent when you did play.” Peppers said after practice Friday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “But it is what it is. I’m now getting that opportunity to show what I can do, and I’m going to take it advantage of it.”
With Kyle Dugger out for Sunday’s AFC North showdown at the Baltimore Ravens because of a hand injury, the Steelers starting strong safety spot is left to either Chuck Clark or Peppers.
Peppers confirmed he played a significant role with the first-team defense at Friday’s practice, and it’s clear he will play (to some degree) on defense Sunday for the first time since an Oct. 26 game at the Green Bay Packers (13 snaps).
Peppers says he’s fully ready to step in and be a playmaker – and not just because it’s now been almost a full three months since he signed with the Steelers during Week 2.
“I’ve been prepared,” the 30-year-old, former first-round pick said.
“I feel like I could be effective against any type of team. I’m just trying to get a good opportunity for me to show that.”
Peppers had six tackles (four solo) and was part of a tackle with T.J. Watt in which New England’s Antonio Gibson fumbled and Peppers recovered it for a takeaway during a second-half sequence of an impressive 21-14 Steelers victory at a Patriots team that has not lost in the 11 weeks since and currently holds the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed.
That it came against the team that just three weeks earlier had unceremoniously cut him made it that much sweeter for Peppers, a nine-year NFL veteran who’d been a starter virtually his entire 108-game career to that point.
But whatever angst Peppers alleviated inside himself against New England in that game, a similar fire has built inside him while with the Steelers.
“My role really has been on the special teams. This is the first week in a while I’ve got a role (on defense),” Peppers said, “so I intend to make the most out of it, put some good tape out there (and) show that I can still ball.”
Peppers clearly believes he could have been contributing more to the Steelers defense this season. In the time since he was acquired, though, the team traded for Dugger (Oct. 30) and moved former All Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey to safety.
Though the team has since released Juan Thornhill, the Dugger-Ramsey tandem has been so good that neither has rarely ever left the field.
“For sure, we’ve got a lot of ballers on this defense,” Peppers said. “That’s definitely been good. I haven’t really been out there, so I definitely intend to take full advantage of my opportunity.
“It’s always good to get a chance to put good (game) tape out, so I intend to take full advantage of it.”
Through all of his lack of deployment on defense, Peppers has dutifully performed on special teams. He hasn’t complained and is popular among his teammates.
“Everybody likes ‘Pepp,’” defensive back Brandin Echols said. “We respect Pepp. He’s gonna do what he needs to do. He’s prepared well this week.
“He’s real physical, real smart, knows what he’s doing. Obviously, he’s a vet who’s got a lot of experience in this league. I don’t see anything that’s going to be different (with the gameplan with Peppers in for Dugger).”
At 5 feet 11, 213 pounds, Peppers has always been known as a solid tackler. While plenty versatile, he can be an ideal in-the-box presence – in theory, a perfect matchup against the downhill, run-first Ravens.
“I feel like I can thrive against whatever type of team,” Peppers said. “All I need is the opportunity.
“I have known (the defense) since I got here. I feel like I can help whatever team that I’m on. Just need to get an opportunity.”
It appears Peppers will get that for the Steelers – and during a big game – on Sunday.