They want to cash in on a once prized asset who doesn’t fit the plans of a new regime, but the New England Patriots have been warned about a rude awakening for their attempts to trade safety Kyle Dugger.
It’s a warning from “multiple industry sources,” according to MassLive.com’s Mark Daniels. He reported the anonymous experts predict “it would be a surprise if the Patriots found a suitor for Dugger.”
Daniels also revealed “One source said he’d be ‘shocked’ if another team were willing to trade for the veteran safety, citing the contract extension’s guaranteed money for 2026 and 2027. The Patriots gave Dugger $32.5 million in guarantees.”
The issue of Dugger’s bloated contract puts the Patriots on the hook to fund any deal for the rugged defensive back. As Daniels detailed, “the source noted that if the Patriots really want Dugger off their roster, they’d have to pay his salary ‘way down’ to make it more manageable for another team. The second source agreed, saying he believes the only way a Dugger trade would happen is if the Patriots were willing to eat some of the guaranteed money.”
That’s bad news for Dugger, who finds himself on the block, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, partly because of an offseason ankle injury and a struggle getting comfortable in a new system.
He was once a favorite of former head coaches Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo, but a new staff fronted by Mike Vrabel and his defensive coordinator Terrell Williams want something different.
Kyle Dugger Trade Stance Has Risks
Vrabel and general manager Eliot Wolf being prepared to move on from Dugger carries risks. Notably because the 29-year-old is a physical and versatile presence on the back end who affords the Pats scheme flexibility.
Duggan’s a 65-game starter who lets New England’s defense stay in nickel personnel on early downs because he’s a thumper against the run. The 6-foot-1, 216-pounder can play in the box as a de facto linebacker able to get downhill in a hurry.
When he’s been tasked with coverage assignments, Dugger has shown a willingness to body inside and slot receivers, but things changed in a hurry after his big payday last offseason. Dugger began to struggle mightily identifying pre-snap movement and reacting to the ball in space, earning the ire of a former Patriots three-time Super Bowl winner.
Things haven’t improved significantly in recent months, a likely reason why Dugger stayed on the field among backups and cut candidates late in preseason games. His heavy workload during the 42-10 defeat to the New York Giants in Week 3 earned some praise from Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS, but the inconsistencies were still obvious amid the highlights.
The time looks ripe for a rebuilding Patriots team to move on from Dugger, who isn’t the only holdover hand-picked by Belichick on the trading block.
Patriots Well-Stocked to Replace Former Favorites
One reason the Patriots can feel ready to dump an established name like Dugger and others is because their roster is well-stocked with alternatives. The presence of veterans Jabrill Peppers and Jaylinn Hawkins, along with 2025 NFL draft fourth-round pick Craig Woodson, means the Pats have alternatives to Dugger.
Similarly, the cupboard is hardly bare at the edges of the front seven, despite some signs the Patriots have reason to worry about versatile end Keion White. Those worries can be offset by the performances of newcomers Harold Landry III and K’Lavon Chaisson.
Personnel has change because the Patriots are going to be doing things in new ways on defense. Those ways mean players like Dugger, whose versatility suited Belichick’s hybrid playbook, or Anfernee Jennings, whose niche skill as an edge-setter made him a useful opponent-specific option against run-heavy teams, no longer fit.
Moving on could get pricey, but the Patriots can afford to pay for the privilege of heralding their new era, thanks to league-leading salary cap space Spotrac.com puts at $35,050,027.
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