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Could Kyle Dugger play elsewhere in 2025?
Entering his sixth campaign, Dugger has established himself as a wildly talented but frustratingly inconsistent safety. For every game-changing turnover, there’s a mind-numbing coverage bust. And, according to multiple reports from New England Patriots training camp, this summer has seen more of the same from Dugger, who’s set to play in the second year of a four-year, $58 million contract he signed in 2024.
Following Monday’s practice, Greg Bedard of Boston Sports Journal suggested Dugger could land on the trade block before the start of the season.
“I don’t know if this in fact true, but at least, this is what it looked like on the practice field: It sure seemed like Kyle Dugger saw his first-team reps take a downturn in favor of rookie Craig Woodson,” Bedard said in a video report. “I did my 53-man roster (Monday), and one of the things I discussed was Kyle Dugger could very well be on the trade or release block. That’s what it seems like.”
Dugger, 29, is due $9.75 million in guaranteed salary in 2025, per Over The Cap. However, he isn’t owed any guaranteed money in 2026 or 2027, potentially making it more likely that the Patriots cut bait after this season.
Nevertheless, if New England believes in Woodson, whom it selected with the 106th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, it could trade Dugger in the coming weeks to recoup some value. The Patriots also have Jabrill Peppers, Jaylinn Hawkins, Brenden Schooler and Dell Pettus on their safety depth chart.
New Engalnd would incur roughly $13.25 million in cap losses if it cut Dugger before the season, whereas a trade would result in approximately $6 million in cap savings.
