FOXBOROUGH – The NFL is a business. That point was reinforced to many inside the Patriots locker room when the team traded veteran safety Kyle Dugger and edge rusher Keion White on Tuesday evening.
By Wednesday, several players had gone through several emotions. They understand the business side of the league, but noted that personal relationships with their teammates make situations like these difficult.
“It hurt,” Christian Gonzalez said. “Those are two of my closest friends I talk to, but I mean, it’s a business at the end of the day. Happy for them. They get to get a new, fresh start. Here, we’re focused on the Falcons and getting ready for them.”
Drafted in 2023, White wasn’t in New England long. The edge rusher started 18 of 38 games with the Patriots. Dugger, on the other hand, was a mainstay in the secondary over the previous five seasons.
Dugger started 69 of 81 games in New England. He started every game he played from 2022 through 2024. Soft-spoken, Dugger made a connection with his fellow Patriots safeties.
That included Dell Pettus, who noted Dugger helped him when he entered the NFL last season.
“It definitely sucks seeing him go,” Dell Pettus said. “He was one of the guys, as my time grew on here, I really learned a lot from. Somebody I admired and respected, how he went about day to day – his play style, everything. I learned a lot from Dugg, really respect him as a player, as a friend, too. I just hate to see him go, honestly.”
This offseason, Dugger lost his starting spot to Jaylinn Hawkins and rookie Craig Woodson as he wasn’t as good a fit in Mike Vrabel’s defensive scheme. Under Vrabel, the Patriots moved on from the previous season’s starters in Jabrill Peppers and Dugger.
In this defense, the Patriots like athletic safeties who excel in pass coverage, whereas Dugger is a player who excels in the box like a linebacker. Still, the loss of Dugger stung his teammates.
That included Hawkins.
“Me and Kyle, it’s tough when you create a relationship with somebody on and off the field on a personal level and you play together,” Hawkins said. “The chemistry is there. It’s deeper than just football. That’s the business, and that’s things I can’t control. The relationship we got is what I can control. The stuff he did here – he’s a great player. I know he’s going to succeed where he’s at.
Those are things I can’t control, but the relationship we built, the brotherhood we built in the locker room and outside the locker room, I can still maintain that relationship and send him a text. I know he’s going to do great things. He’s a great player. He’s a phenomenal player.”
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