Kyle Dugger
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Kyle Dugger opened up on his decision to sign with the Bengals in free agency
The Cincinnati Bengals have entered the offseason looking to find a way to upgrade their defense, a goal which was made more difficult by the departure of star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson. While the Bengals are loaded on offense, their Achilles heel in recent years has been their defense, so it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to see that the front office is looking to add talent on this side of the ball.
Cincinnati’s latest addition on defense saw it sign safety Kyle Dugger to a one-year contract in free agency on Thursday. After enjoying a strong start to his career, the past couple of years have been rough for Dugger. Now, he will get a fresh start with the Bengals, and it sounds like he’s looking forward to the opportunity in front of him with his new team.
Kyle Dugger Dishes on Decision to Sign with the Bengals
Dugger was selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, and he quickly turned himself into a versatile piece at the back of their defense. It seemed like Dugger was going to be a part of New England’s defense for the foreseeable future after he signed a four-year, $58 million contract ahead of the 2024 campaign, but after a rough season, he lost his starting job once Mike Vrabel took over as the team’s new head coach.
Midway through last year, Dugger was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he immediately claimed a starting role in the team’s defense. All in all, Dugger finished the year with 59 tackles, one sack, two interceptions (one of which he returned for a touchdown), and five pass breakups. When used in the right role, Dugger can be a very effective player, but he’s struggled to figure things out over the past couple of years.
The Bengals are taking a flier on Dugger’s versatile skillset by signing him to a one-year contract in free agency. Dugger has experience starting, which should serve Cincy’s shorthanded secondary well moving forward. At the end of the day, though, the thing that stood out the most to Dugger was the chance for a fresh start, which he will certainly get now that he’s found his way to Cincinnati.
“Fresh start and a new opportunity. I’m excited for it,” Dugger said, per Geoff Hobson of the team’s official website. “It’s been a rough two years. I’m thankful where I am.”
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While Dugger is versatile and can wear several different hats at the safety position, he is at his best when he is playing closer to the line of scrimmage. Dugger has never been able to hold up particularly well in coverage, but he has great instincts that help him diagnose what plays the opposing offense is running, and he is a sound tackler, no matter where he finds himself on the field.
With Jordan Battle and Bryan Cook currently headlining Cincinnati’s safety room, the coaching staff will have the freedom to use Dugger in whatever role they believe he is the best fit for. It will be interesting to see where Dugger is used during training camp, but regardless, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him make several explosive plays for his new squad in 2026.