DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Peppers: a fair evaluation

Jabrill Peppers clarifies comment about 'wishy-washy Browns fans

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24894...washy-clarifies

BEREA, Ohio -- Jabrill Peppers said he was talking about the environment that surrounds an NFL team when he told the Chronicle-Telegram in Elyria, Ohio, on Wednesday that people in Cleveland are "wishy-washy" about their Browns.

"Obviously I wasn't talking about the fans as a whole, more so the environment of an NFL franchise," Peppers said Thursday. "We understand the city of Cleveland loves their Browns and wants to see us get back to how it's supposed to be. That's just the NFL. They love you when you're doing good or not so much when you're not."

Peppers' original comment to the Chronicle-Telegram: "So that's one thing I notice about Cleveland sports, you guys are very, very wishy-washy. If it ain't going right immediately, calling for heads, calling for jobs."

Peppers spoke in the context of the Browns struggling to win. They started 1-2-1, lost a game in Oakland when they scored 42 points and are 2-33-1 since the 2016 season. Peppers said he has encountered hostility just in his daily activities living in downtown Cleveland. He said it happens "every time I go out," even when he wears a hoodie, though he takes the hood off when he goes in stores.

"That's my experience," he said. "I can't speak for all the guys."

Peppers said he does not go out by himself anymore because of the situation that he described as "a little bit more than verbal."

"I love how passionate the fans are. Part of what I get is my fault. I'm not playing up to my potential and they see that as well so you can't fault people for feeling how they feel. You just go to take it with a grain of salt and do what you got to do to get better."
Jabrill Peppers

Peppers was one of three first-round draft choices by the Browns in 2017. He played deep safety as a rookie, but moved closer to the line this season with the hope it would help him make more of an impact.

It hasn't happened yet; Peppers ranks ninth on the team with 15 tackles, has one pass defensed and no forced turnovers -- although he did recover a fumble against the Jets.

He also has been ineffective in the return game, averaging 21.3 yards on kickoff returns and 4.3 on punt returns.

"I love the Cleveland Browns; I love the city of Cleveland," Peppers said. "I love how passionate the fans are. Part of what I get is my fault. I'm not playing up to my potential and they see that as well so you can't fault people for feeling how they feel. You just go to take it with a grain of salt and do what you got to do to get better."

But he also said he has limits.

"When you walk up on another grown man, that's another kind of situation," he said.

Peppers said the fact he went to Michigan makes the situation worse given the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan.

"Some people already feel the way about me because of my college choice," he said. "I've just got to play better and make the plays on the field to get them to like me. That's how it is in the NFL."

Braylon, is that you?

My advice to Peppers would be this: Quit talking, you're digging a hole.

Quit talking about your potential. Show it on the field.

Quit complaining about things - DO things.


I know of not 1 single person that dislikes him because he went to Michigan. Not 1. College is over Mr. Peppers. You are now on the Browns.

Yep. What's the old saying...... when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.

Walkin' it back...

I remember, and love, what my h.s. football coach preached all the time (not to me, though) If you are described as 'having potential', it simply means you haven't done anything yet.

Easy fix...Stop drafting players from the State up North..


Fans don't care anymore where Baker came from..Because he is doing something good on the field...

Myles garret is performing on the field.... Ward is performing on the field.

Perform well...and all is well...

I think Peppers is gone this offseason. He doesn't seem like a dorsey guy or a williams guy. He's just been given the benefit of the doubt because of where he was drafted...he's a bust

He hasn't been special yet IMO. We need his roles on the squad to produce. Kinda given a pass or been carried by Huey or whomever. Not punts, please. No gleam here. Maybe not a full-fledged bust, but it has to be better.

I don't see why or where he needed to clarify anything. He is VERY spot-on about folks being wishy-washy. Anyone that doubts or questions that in ANY way needs to just be a subjective spectator on this very site during a season and watch how people swing like yo-yo's from one extreme to another (self-included, of course).

Specifically that game day thread....WOW!

I'm not sure you're right about this. Maybe... You could be, but I don't think so. But maybe.



I'm fairly certain Peppers doesn't know what wishy-washy actually means. I think he means that fans are fickle. Which is absolutely true, but we're definitely not wishy-washy.

Wishy-washy, to me, implies apathetic, like they don't care or can't make up their mind.. having violent swings where you feel great about the team and other times where you are totally disgusted with the team isn't wishy-washy as I would define it.. that's just passionate.

Or the problem is that he is not that good, and for sure not the level he thinks he is, and instead of putting on the work he develops a Diva attitude.

The guys sucks, and he is being dumb enough not to work on his flaws.

Most of the fans here loved him, I know that because I was one of the few that didn't.

He just isn't a good NFL player.

Pepper's comments were dumb

But he's not playing bad at S

Now as a returner...….he's on borrowed time...needs to make a play...if anything he's probably trying to do too much and needs to take the yards he can get use his speed pick a line and out run the defense for as many yards as he can get
stop trying to hit the homerun, make the homerun cut or juke (and in the process running into the back of your teammates) take the hard yards like Brian Mitchell then when something/IF something big breaks take it

Yeah, that was the wrong term to use to describe what he meant. Then again, he doesn't come across as all that intelligent.

Obviously not intelligent enough to keep his yapper shut and do his talking on the field. I do think the fact he's ill-suited as a returner, (not his fault) and being so far out of position last year are two things that have stunted his growth and lent to the perception he's a bust. Since he's a first round pick much is expected, but some players blossom more quickly than others. I think his time will come. They need to find another return man though. It's not working and only serves to add to the putrid mess that is special teams.

The crazy thing is that I always said [while he was in college] that he would be a better return man than a safety.

I don't think the guy can cover. He is good in the box. He can hit hard. I thought he would be good on blitzes and run support. However, his open field tackling is poor and again, he can't cover.

I am shocked that he has been so bad at returning the ball. He was really good at college and he flashed.

I have no explanation.

He needs to keep working on his coverage skills and tackling. playing multiple positions under Harbaugh did him no favors. I think he has the tools, just hasn't had the teaching, IMO. And it's surprising to me as well how bad he is at returning. It's like he can't see the coverage when he's catching, and he can't see the field when he's returning. Very strange.

It seems like he has slowed down, as well. He had some quickness to him in college, and that seems gone right now.

Yeah, he looked a lot more shifty. Cut on a dime kinda guy.

I was wrong about that one. For sure.

three years ago I thought Peppers was a freak athlete. Now I think he's slow and a thumper. Either I was wrong or he's slowed down/gotten heavy

It is like he squints or closes his eyes before contact. If true, it explains a bunch of what happens that hurts us perhaps. Doesn't care to be hit, so quick to signal fair catch when room to run some. Runs into own people on return (close your eyes and run), or something like it as if he is gunshy. Seems slow to decide, slower to react. Somebody drained a bunch of Harbaugh's Kool-Aid. Haven't seen much of what was hyped in his game. Just seems unmotivated and way too casual. We need more out of his position.
He is the perfect representative for these ST's.

On kickoffs, IMO it's inexcusable to ever bring the ball out of the endzone. That's tantamount to giving up 10-15 yards

He is just a typical BROWNS draft bust with low talent, bad attitude and a big trash talking mouth . BROOM HIM NOW !!!!!

The low talent thing I agree with .. he just never seemed to translate to the NFL in my eyes.

his lack of coverage skill and quickness is really apparent

That's what I see - tentative.

There are two types of returners...

A. Those that catch the ball with intentions of what they will do to the opposition.
B. Those that catch the ball with concerns of what the opposition will do to them.

It's the first box on the flowchart... and if you're not checking Box A, you're not going to be a good return man.

If we watch any random return by Cribbs, and then Peppers, we would know who's checking which box regardless of outcome of the play.

I'm confused.

Do people in this thread really think Peppers is playing poorly at SS this year?

Or is this just over reaction from his poor returns thus far?

I think that Peppers has made maybe 1 big play thus far this year, but otherwise has been extremely unimpactful.

I don’t think there is much of a difference when Kindred or Peppers is in but I’m no savant. He seems to be hesitant on returns which seems a death knell for a returner. I hope he pans out but I prefer Kindred as SS. Plenty of time to change that tune.

I'd venture to guess that SS is much easier for a team to fill than FS

If Peppers was a 4-5 round pick, sure he'd be sufficient (like Kindred)

The fact that we spent a 1st round pick on him makes him lose value IMO

I don't think he's playing poorly at SS. I think the recent over reaction comes from the fact that there are not many impact plays coming from a player that graded out as a high draft pick - mainly because he was an "impact player". Just so happens that he also has been given many more opportunities to make an impact by returning punts. In those opportunities he has failed.

I'm glad he made his bed with comments to the media. Time to put up or shut up before we make a change.

I'm not one to get wrapped up in draft position.

Peppers is playing well when I watch the defense. He's not making "impact" plays but not everyone on a defense is going to make impacts plays. He's a part of good secondary and overall good defense.

I have no issues with him as a SS this year....I think he needs stop pressing for the big play as returner and possibly cut some weight...

He is okay against the run when it's close to the LOS. However, he can't cover and is not a good tackler in space.

He might improve. I'm not calling him a bust, but he hasn't played very well.

Additionally, when we picked him a lot of posters were banking on him lighting it up as a returner. He has been beyond disappointing in that role. I would have expected something out of him there by now.

LOL.............I was one of the dudes saying he would be a good returner.

I had more faith in him as a returner than a safety.

Same here

Peppers had a really good game. Had he caught that interception he'd be a hero right now. But he had a really good game. Did well in pass coverage too.

Peppers really had a great game.

I have been hard on him, but credit where credit is due. He made impact plays on defense, and he had a couple of really solid PR.