Patriots: 3 players most affected by likely canceled preseason

1. Kyle Dugger

You could honestly make a case for any member of the Patriots’ 2020 Draft class to be featured on this list, but first pick Kyle Dugger is clearly impacted the most. At 24 years old, he’s pretty mature for an incoming draftee, so, in normal circumstances, his transition to the NFL wouldn’t be considered as daunting as it will be for some rookies.

However, he’s coming from a Division-II program in Lenoir Rhyne, where he didn’t face the stiffest competition.

You could argue that — in an effort to get him used to the speed of the NFL — head coach Bill Belichick would’ve gave Dugger more reps than any other player on the roster. His status as the No. 37 overall selection means that he will be expected to produce as a rookie.

With the 6-foot-1 safety already behind the likes of Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung on the depth chart, it’s not outlandish to think that a canceled preseason could potentially stunt his development.