Not much has gone right for the New England Patriots this season, and that continued when it was revealed on Monday morning that veteran safety Jabril Peppers had been arrested on Saturday ahead of their Week 5 contest against the Miami Dolphins. Peppers ultimately did not end up playing in the contest, as he was ruled out for the game on Saturday due to a shoulder injury.

Peppers appeared in court on Monday and pleaded not guilty to the charges he was facing, which include strangulation and drug possession. The Patriots didn't appear intent on making any rash decisions in regards to Peppers status with the team until more information came out, but the NFL stepped in and placed him on the Commissioner Exempt List on Wednesday morning.

Via Ian Rapoport:

“The NFL has placed Patriots S Jabrill Peppers on the Commissioner Exempt List. Peppers may not practice or attend games while on the list.”

Patriots dealt another blow with Jabril Peppers update

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New England was anticipating Peppers being a key part of their defense, as he formed a strong safety tandem alongside Kyle Dugger at the back of their secondary. Instead, he can't be with the team for the time being, and there's a chance they could end up releasing him if the ensuing information that comes out on this situation deems it necessary.

Peppers was a defensive captain for the Pats this season, and through four games, he had racked up 23 tackles, two passes defended, and an interception for the team. During his absence, New England is going to lean heavily on Dugger, with Marte Mapu appearing likely to fill in Peppers' free safety role for the time being.

As always, it will be worth keeping an eye on this situation, as there will surely be more information that gets made public over the coming days. For now, though, Peppers won't be with the Patriots, and it ultimately wouldn't be a huge surprise if he has played his final down with the team, regardless of what the outcome of this case ends up being.