Patriots safety Kyle Dugger will remain on the Patriots’ 53-player roster, Andrew Callahan of the _Boston Herald_ reports.
The team attempted to trade Dugger, but, while the Patriots had talks with multiple teams, they were not close to a deal, per Callahan.
Dugger has tumbled down the depth chart since Mike Vrabel’s arrival.
He practiced with the scout-team defense last week and played deep into preseason games. He played 39 snaps — 57 percent of the defensive snaps — in Thursday’s preseason game against the Giants after 45 in the second preseason game.
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. Dugger has yet to fully rebound, a recovery that’s been made harder by learning a new defense.
The Patriots signed Dugger to a four-year, $58 million contract extension in the 2024 offseason. His $9.75 million salary is guaranteed, and he is scheduled to count $15.264 million against the team’s cap.