Patriots defender just stole the starting job from veteran in Week 8

When the Patriots announced their inactive list ahead of their Week 8 game against the Browns, a few things stood out. The biggest surprise was the decision to bench Keion White for the first time in his career, even if his performance this season certainly warranted it. The other was Kyle Dugger being sidelined, allowing Jaylinn Hawkins to play in his place once again.

The 28-year-old has had some flashy plays when given the opportunity to take the field this year, and that continued when stepping in for Dugger on Sunday.

Going into the game, he had already recorded 23 combined tackles, two for a loss, 1.5 sacks, and an interception. So there was hope he would be able to continue his hot streak as one of the starters in the secondary. And boy, did he accomplish that.

Not only did he snag one of the interceptions of the game, but he did it impressively by catching it with one hand and arguably creating one of the best photos of the season so far.

This is the kind of performance that might have sealed Dugger's fate for the remainder of the season, especially with the trade deadline right around the corner.

Kyle Dugger might not be part of the Patriots' starting defense for much longer

There were plenty of rumors during the offseason about Dugger's position with the team, as his spot on the depth chart fell lower and lower by the day. It sparked trade speculation before the season began, only for teams to show little interest after his rough 2024 performance.

There was some hope because he made the 53-man roster, that he would revert to the kind of player he once was. But that hasn't been the case so far this year, with only sporadic moments that show he might still have some gas left in the tank. And with a day like Hawkins had on Sunday, that might not matter much longer.

When he has been given the chance to start, Hawkins has proven he's more valuable for the Patriots' defense to be on the field than on the bench. The same cannot be said about Dugger, who was not missed in Sunday's matchup.

If Hawkins continues to play the way he did on Sunday, it's fair to assume that Dugger will continue to ride the bench or even be traded if a team is willing to give something up to acquire him. That might not happen, however, given his lackluster performances over the past year, making his future even more questionable.