New England Patriots - NESN.com
After setting career highs with 109 tackles and five quarterback hits during the 2023 season, New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger cashed in with a four-year contract extension last April.
Dugger entered the 2024 campaign eighth on ESPN’s top-10 positional rankings for NFL safeties, following a survey of league executives, coaches and scouts. After missing time due to an ankle injury last season and being limited to a career-low 13 contests, the 29-year-old has fallen out of the top-10 and isn’t even an honorable mention on the 2025 list, though he is among seven players “also receiving votes.”
“Dugger struggled to live up to the four-year, $58 million contract extension he signed last April, batting a high ankle sprain in Week 4 that sidelined him for four games and visibly limited him upon his return. If healthy, the 29-year-old Dugger has a chance for a resurgence under first-year coach Mike Vrabel,” the ESPN article said.
If the Patriots want to improve on their 22nd-ranked defense from a season ago, having a healthy and productive Dugger in the secondary will be vital.
The 2020 second-round pick racked up nine interceptions over three seasons from 2021-23, before failing to record a pick in 2024. Dugger had a career-high four interceptions in 2021 and registered two interception returns for touchdowns in 2022, which tied for the league lead.
Despite his four missed games last season, the Georgia native still managed to record a career-high eight tackles for loss, as well as four passes defended.
Dugger isn’t the only member of the New England defense to receive a low ranking this summer.
It was revealed on Thursday that cornerback Christian Gonzalez came in at 84th on the “NFL Top 100 Players of 2025” list.
The 2023 first-round pick shined in his second season, recording 11 passes defended and two interceptions on his way to earning Second Team All-Pro honors and finishing fifth in the AP Comeback Player of the Year voting.
