FOXBOROUGH, MA - JULY 28: Mike Vrabel head coach of the New England Patriots talks with Kyle Dugger #23 during training camp at Gillette Stadium on July 28, 2025 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.(Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
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Patriots S Kyle Dugger (left)
After four solid seasons with the Patriots, it was clear in 2024 that safety Kyle Dugger was not himself. He played much of the year while battling severe ankle pain, missing four games and starting 13. He recorded four passes defensed, a forced fumble and a sack, while also setting a career high in tackles for a loss, with eight.
But quarterbacks picked him apart and he struggled to tackle. Dugger missed a career-high 13 tackles, and allowed a 137.4 quarterback rating when opponents targeted him. He was, according to Pro Football Focus, rated the third-worst safety in the NFL in 2024, highly unusual for a player of his caliber.
And highly costly for a Patriots cap sheet that has Dugger on the books for $15 million this year, the second of a four-year, $54 million contract that ranks among the most expensive on the defense.
Because Dugger, a captain last year, has not looked all that much better after undergoing surgery, the Patriots appear poised to move forward without him, despite a hefty dead cap hit of $23 million.
Patriots Open for Trades
That’s the report coming from the Boston Herald, which states that sources indicate Dugger is on the trade block, as well as another 2024 starter, linebacker Anfernee Jennings.
The paper’s Andrew Callahan reported: “Patriots safety Kyle Dugger and outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings are known to be available for trade with less than a week left until the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline, according to league sources.
“The Patriots recently raised Dugger’s name in talks with at least one team, while the front office has long been willing to take offers on him and Jennings, sources said.”
Anfernee Jennings Had 3 Sacks vs. Minnesota
Statistically speaking, Dugger and Jennings were two standouts from the 20-12 win over the Vikings in the team’s second preseason outing last Saturday. Dugger capped the game with an interception in the end zone on the last Vikings drive, preserving New England’s win. Jennings chipped in with three sacks in the late third quarter and the fourth quarter.
Of course, it’s always a surprise when a veteran like Dugger, who has 65 NFL starts to his credit, or Jennings (30 starts in the past two years) is still on the field late in a preseason game.
Dugger has mostly practiced with the second-team defense during training camp, and appears to be behind Jaylinn Hawkins and rookie Craig Woodson on the strong safety depth chart. Jennings certainly looks like an NFL linebacker, but does not appear to fit with the quarterback-attacking mold Mike Vrabel wants on the outside.
Patriots Role for Kyle Dugger?
Finding trades for Jennings or Dugger would be ideal for the Patriots, helping to ease what figures to be a crunch when it comes time to cut the roster down on August 31. The Patriots would like to recoup some draft capital for the players, though teams are well aware that without a trade, the Patriots are likely to release both Jennings and Dugger.
On Monday, GM Eliot Wolf attempted to hold out hope for Dugger’s spot on the team. It was Wolf, after all, who handed Dugger $54 million.
“I think there’s still a role,” Wolf explained. “It’s about trying to find the right combination and earn a role. The safety position is a lot based on communication, and so, getting Craig (Woodson), who’s a rookie out there, with different combinations of people is also something we’re looking at as well.”