Jabrill Peppers said he was happy with how his NFL career unfolded after a slow start with the Browns.
But with his old team arriving in the city on Sunday, the Giants ’safety can’t escape a memory path to the 2019 box office trade that took him to New York in exchange for Odell Beckham Jr.
“I was actually excited about the trade, thinking,‘ We just got Odell! “” He recalled Peppers, who said Friday in a Zoom call that he first met his craft on Twitter. “And I keep looking and then I say to myself,‘ Oh s – t. I’m not even here!
“And then [former Browns general manager John] Dorsey called me about 15 minutes later and had already seen the news. In fact, I talked to him [Giants GM Dave] Gettleman before talking to Dorsey. That’s what it is, that’s the nature of this league. I can’t do it personally. But I’m happy, I’m happy with the result, I’m fine. “
Cleveland also sent guard Kevin Zeitler and his first- and third-round picks in the 2019 NFL draft to the Giants, which included defensive end Olivier Vernon in the deal, in addition to Beckham.
Peppers, to whom the Browns drafted 25th overall in 2017, was believed to be the most intriguing part of the package, considering he was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy in Michigan.
The 25-year-old is turning his second season with the Giants. Peppers, a native of New Jersey, has said he is much more comfortable being closer to home, and is shown in the field.
“Absolutely,” Peppers said when asked if he now feels like a different player. “I am playing with my strengths here. I thank the Giants for believing in me and seeing my potential, so I’m just doing my best to make them look good. “
In April, the Giants picked up the fifth-year option from the rookie contract Peppers signed with the Browns. He is guaranteed $ 6.8 million in 2021 before becoming a free agent.
During his two seasons in Cleveland, Peppers combined 97 solo attacks, six defeats and four quarterfinals. Since then, he has become one of the driving forces behind the Giants ’success on the defensive side of the ball.
With at least three games to go in 2020, Peppers already has 49 solo attacks, eight defeats and three QB shots, despite losing Week 4 with an ankle injury.
Peppers said he expects a tough challenge from the Browns at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, but has no plans to treat the game differently than any other. The Giants probably expect him to do nothing different either.
“It’s a great game, it’s not a great game because it’s my old team, it’s a great game for what’s at stake,” Peppers said. “It’s the next game. I won’t do anything abnormal or anything I haven’t been doing during the season. I will just come in, prepare as I have been preparing all year and try to do my job to the best of my ability ”.