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The New England Patriots have had a few key players on their defense, and Kyle Dugger was one of those pieces. After signing an extension with the team before last season, there were hopes that he would be a staple not only in the secondary but in the defense as a whole.
So far during training camp, Dugger hasn’t been playing with the starters, and there’s a chance that he could be traded before the season, according to Ari Meirov of The33rdTeamFB.
“A name to watch: Patriots S Kyle Dugger has been playing late into preseason games and working with the second-team in practice under the new staff. Dugger signed a 4-year, $58M deal just last year — and now could possibly be a trade candidate,” Meirov wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
When the VP of player personnel Eliot Wolf was asked about Dugger and if he sees a place for him on the roster, he seemed confident in the player’s role.
“Yeah, I think there’s still a role,” Wolf said via NBCSportsBoston.com.
Dugger had an up-and-down season last year after dealing with an ankle injury that sidelined him in Week 5, and then he was out from Week 8 to Week 10 after re-aggravating it. Jabrill Peppers recently spoke about Dugger’s struggles last season with the injuries and how they may be affecting him now.
“That’s my dog. He understands, it’s his process,” Peppers said. “He’s coming back from the ankle injury, but he’s going to do what he has to do. I’m not worried about Dug.”
The Patriots may be looking to actually trade for a player before the season starts, according to Phil Pherry of NBCS Boston.
“Eliot Wolf says the Patriots would be willing to trade away a 1st or 2nd-round pick if it was best for the team. Worth noting with big names out there still looking for deals,” Pherry wrote.
If Dugger is on the trade block and the Patriots are serious about adding a star, it would not be a surprise if they attached him. He’s still young and can help any team that’s looking for safety help.
The Patriots’ defense should have a good defensive team this season, especially with head coach Mike Vrabel putting an emphasis on that side of the ball. Everyone now will be waiting to see if Dugger will be a part of the unit this season and beyond.
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