FOXBORO — Were it not for his contract, Kyle Dugger might be elsewhere.
This summer, the Patriots engaged in trade talks with multiple teams that had interest in Dugger but ultimately passed. The 29-year-old safety remained on the Pats’ roster through Tuesday’s roster cuts, after potential suitors were unwilling to absorb most of the remaining three years on the four-year, $58 million extension he signed last year.
And so, Dugger and the Patriots now walk hand in hand into the regular season and past the discomfort of a near summer split.
“If anything, I was pretty neutral on it,” Dugger told reporters this week. “I knew anything could happen, so that’s kind of where I stayed. I spent a lot of time with my family (Tuesday), and that was very grounding and humbling, so that’s kind of what I did. I really wasn’t thinking about it too much.”
After a slow start to training camp, Dugger’s slide down the depth chart became obvious once he played deep into the team’s second and third preseason games against the Vikings and Giants, respectively. He took the field after fellow safeties Jabrill Peppers, Jaylinn Hawkins, fourth-round rookie Craig Woodson and even the recently released Marcus Epps. After the Pats’ preseason finale, coach Mike Vrabel gave him a vote of confidence noting Dugger’s improvement in recent days.
In his first press conference since opting to keep Dugger on cutdown day, Vrabel expanded on the decision Wednesday.
“I think he’s feeling better, and I thought he had some really good snaps against New York,” Vrabel said. “I think he can help us, and obviously, find a role. (We’ve) talked to him about that, we’ll continue to talk to him about that, and provide value to the football team.”
Outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings can relate.
Jennings was also on the trade block for most of the summer, per sources; an edge rusher with 5.5 career sacks who drew little interest on the market because of his production. The Patriots did not see him as a scheme fit in their new attacking, one-gap defense after Jennings spent his entire college and pro career playing in a system where getting upfield was less of a priority than controlling the edge.
Like Dugger, Jennings said he’s happy to move on.
“It’s obviously a blessing to still be able to have an opportunity,” he told reporters. “I’m just excited to get ready to start working on an opponent and game plan, and ready to go get a win.”