The Patriots made a second trade of the day, sending safety Kyle Dugger and a seventh-round pick to the Steelers in exchange for a sixth-round choice, according to multiple reports.
Earlier Tuesday, the Patriots sent defensive lineman Keion White and a seventh-round pick to the 49ers for a sixth-round pick.
The Steelers traded safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in the offseason, leaving a hole in their secondary. They lead the NFL in passing yards allowed at 273.3 per game.
The Patriots made Dugger a second-round pick in 2020, and he appeared in 81 games with 69 starts. The team signed him to a four-year, $58 million contract extension in the 2024 offseason. His $9.75 million salary is guaranteed for this season.
Dugger played last season on a high-ankle sprain that went [misdiagnosed for almost three months](https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/01/24/nfl-notes-patriots-captain-kyle-dugger-opens-up-about-lost-2024-season-ankle-injury-mike-vrabel/) and required tightrope surgery on his right ankle in January.
The Patriots attempted to trade him before the season but couldn’t find a satisfactory deal. Dugger played seven games with four starts this season, totaling 17 tackles.