Sportsnaut
The first preseason games are in the books, which means we are inching closer and closer to each team making the necessary cuts to get down to just 53 players.
There’s no denying that the Patriots have a much better roster this summer than they did last summer. As a result, some tough roster decisions will have to be made at every position. The Patriots are much deeper at safety this offseason than in prior seasons, and that competition will come down to the wire.
Many have been under the assumption that Kyle Dugger, along with Jabrill Peppers and rookie Craig Woodson, are roster locks. It was also assumed that Dugger and Peppers would be the starters once again, with the rookie Woodson also seeing some snaps after impressing this summer.
However, if Sunday’s practice is any indication, Dugger is far from a roster lock at this point. ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported that Dugger ran with the second-string defense on Sunday.
“The biggest surprise of the Patriots’ 13th practice of training camp came when safety Kyle Dugger ran with the second-string defense,” Reiss 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.”
As Reiss mentioned, Peppers, Woodson, and Jaylinn Hawkins were the top three safeties on Sunday. Hawkins has been one of the stars of camp, so it’s not surprising to see him get more time. Hawkins also impressed in the preseason opener, racking up a couple tackles and deflecting a pass.
Now, you have to wonder if Dugger could be made available for trade. The defender at one point looked like a building block for the Patriots, but struggles in 2024 and a new coaching staff have his future looking uncertain.
Just over a year ago, Dugger signed a four-year, $58 million extension. This large contract could deter teams from trading for the veteran, so one has to wonder if a release is the most likely outcome here. If the Patriots are able to trade Dugger, they could free up over $10 million in cap space according to Over The Cap.
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