"It's been almost a month since the New England Patriots traded away safety Kyle Dugger, but he easily remains the team's most puzzling story of this 2025 season. Over a span of three preseason games, Dugger mysteriously dropped from starter to scout team to on the trade block. It wasn't until after the Patriots' Week 8 win over the Cleveland Browns that Dugger was shipped to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a swap of 2026 sixth- and seventh-round draft picks."
"He's performing well for the Steelers, too, leaving Patriots fans miffed as to why their team would bail on a strong depth player - while continuing to pay the majority of his salary - in the midst of a torrid start to this 2025 season. The New England Patriots might've acted too soon with the Kyle Dugger trade It's hard to second-guess Vrabel's decision-making this season."
Nearly a month after the New England Patriots traded safety Kyle Dugger to the Pittsburgh Steelers for swapped 2026 sixth- and seventh-round picks, Dugger remains a baffling roster move. He fell from starter to scout-team to trade block across three preseason games, then started three straight games in Mike Tomlin's defense and is performing well for Pittsburgh while New England still shoulders most of his salary. The Patriots have an eight-game winning streak and contend for the AFC East and home-field advantage, but depth issues persist. Defensive lineman Milton Williams landed on injured reserve, limiting front-seven depth, and safety depth behind Craig Woodson and Jaylinn Hawkins is thin; beyond Dell Pettus, Brenden Schooler is not considered a serious option at safety.
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