Steelers' Jabrill Peppers Drops Bold Statement About Reuniting With Running Mate Kyle Dugger

The Pittsburgh Steelers now have the New England Patriots' starting safety duo from the last couple of seasons. The organization signed Jabrill Peppers after he was cut at the end of training camp, and the franchise just completed a deal to acquire Kyle Dugger from New England via trade. The trade was absolutely necessary as Pittsburgh just lost starting safety DeShon Elliott for a minimum of four games as he was placed on Injured Reserve with a hyperextended knee. He could miss the rest of the season, which means Dugger could be playing a big role for Pittsburgh throughout the rest of the regular season.

The Steelers were able to acquire Dugger for a pretty cheap deal as all it took was a late-round pick swap. The organization was also able to wipe out the remaining years on his contract, and New England is taking on most of the money for the remainder of the 2025 season. It is a bargain deal for Pittsburgh that could have a ton of upside. Peppers is likely moving into the starting lineup for the Steelers on Sunday as they will take on the Indianapolis Colts, and it is expected that Peppers and Dugger will be the main safety duo for the franchise moving forward. 

Peppers spoke with Jim Wexell of the SteelCityInsider about what he and Dugger can do at safety. He was asked about either player's flexibility when it came to strong safety and free safety, and the veteran had a clear message.

"We both play safety," Peppers said. "Just watch the tape. Watch the tape."

Whenever a new acquisition is made, fans immediately jump to conclusions trying to figure out where certain players fit in and how it affects the rest of the roster. In this instance, it seems pretty clear that both Peppers and Dugger can line up at either safety position and be effective. Peppers spoke of the safety style in New England, and he said that it was just left and right. So that is probably how the two will to approach things in Pittsburgh.

Peppers and Dugger played together in New England for three seasons, and the two started alongside one another for most of that time. That is expected to happen for the Steelers as soon as Dugger gets himself acclimated to the team and the defensive system. The deal was made official on Thursday, so the newly acquired safety will have two days of practice and a walkthrough on Saturday. That could be enough for him to see the field a little bit against the Colts on Sunday. 

Further on in the year, Dugger should become more and more of a contributor within the defense. That is great news for fans, as it didn't seem like the Steelers made much of an effort last year to get their acquisitions at the trade deadline involved. That shouldn't be the case for Dugger, as the defense is seriously struggling, especially on the back end.

Steelers Could See Communication Issues On Sunday

It is sometimes difficult for a secondary to communicate with one another on game days, especially when there are new pieces being inserted into the lineup. Peppers is new to the starting lineup, and Dugger is new to the team. It is unclear how much he will play, if at all, but that will create its own set of challenges. Another contributing issue to communication on defense will be the crowd noise. It is a home game for Pittsburgh, but that means the home crowd will be loud when the opposing team is on offense. 

That makes life hard for the secondary as everyone in the group tries to get on the same page ahead of the snap. That will be something to watch, especially if Dugger plays.

What do you think about Peppers' remarks? Let us know in the comments below!

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