New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots have position battles all over their roster, but one spot many folks assumed was set in stone was safety, where Jabrill Peppers and Kyle Dugger seemed to be in position to reclaim their starting spots.
However, even that position has a layer of intrigue now after the latest development at New England’s latest practice. On Sunday, Dugger was reportedly playing with the Patriots’ second-string defense, indicating that his spot on the team could be in jeopardy.
“The biggest surprise of the Patriots’ 13th practice of training camp came when safety Kyle Dugger ran with the second-string defense,” Mike Reiss of ESPN shared.
“How Dugger fits in the new regime led by first-year head coach Mike Vrabel remains uncertain, and Sunday shined a spotlight on his role as Jabrill Peppers, Jaylinn Hawkins and rookie Craig Woodson were primarily the top three safeties in a practice that featured mostly red-zone work.”
A second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Dugger has been a key piece of the Patriots’ secondary over the past few years. In 2024, he racked up 81 tackles, one sack, four pass deflections and a fumble forced in 13 games, but he struggled to make his typical impact at the backend of the defense.
Jaylinn Hawkins was one of the standout players in the Patriots’ preseason win over the Washington Commanders, and as a result, Dugger’s roster spot could suddenly be in jeopardy. With Peppers and fourth-round rookie Craig Woodson also running with the first-team defense, Dugger appears to be the odd man out.
Releasing Dugger would be a costly decision for the Patriots, as they signed him to a four-year, $58 million contract extension just last offseason. They could look to trade him, which seems to be the more likely route if the team decides to move on from Dugger.
For now, this is a development to keep tabs on as training camp and preseason play continue to unfold. Dugger was viewed as a roster lock virtually the entire offseason, but it looks like his job may not be as safe as initially expected.
