The Patriots are trading veteran safety Kyle Dugger to the Steelers, sources confirmed to the Herald.
ESPN reports the Patriots are sending Dugger and a seventh-round pick to Pittsburgh for a sixth-round pick.
His trade mirrors the same return the Pats received for shipping defensive lineman Keion White to San Francisco.
Unlike White, Dugger has been on the trade block for months. The 29-year-old endured a setback in his recovery from offseason surgery that addressed an ankle injury he played through last year and never returned to form. Dugger tumbled down the depth chart this summer in his first training camp under Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, whose defensive system different greatly from those Dugger thrived in playing under Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo.
Poor scheme fit and a lack of burst ultimately ends Dugger’s time in New England, which began when he was selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He started seven of 14 games as a rookie, then 45 of 47 games the next three seasons. He enjoyed a Pro Bowl-caliber season in 2022, recording 78 tackles, three interceptions, a sack, one forced fumble and two defensive touchdowns.
Dugger was once viewed as a pillar of the Patriots’ defense, but finished his last Patriots season with 17 tackles in seven game appearances. He was the team’s third safety behind rookie Craig Woodson and veteran Jaylinn Hawkins.
