With any new head coach and incoming staff, there are bound to be big changes made to the current roster, which was exactly what was expected with the Patriots now being overseen by Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf. It led to the new regime releasing all of the dynasty-era players to make room for the free agents and rookies they believe are the future.
Some of the pillars of the defense remain in place, however, with veteran safety Kyle Dugger being one of the leading names. The 29-year-old was a questionable draft choice by Bill Belichick in 2020, and he took a few years to become a household name, but his performance led to a contract extension last year, which appeared to be rightfully earned.
That has now come into question after a rough 2024 season that is among the worst years of his career, some of which can be blamed on a misdiagnosed injury that he wasn't able to formally address until earlier this offseason.
Despite that apparently being resolved, Dugger still hasn't been able to make much of an impact during practice and is now being relegated to the second team defense, raising some red flags about what his future in New England might look like.
Kyle Dugger looks like a reserve safety for the Patriots.
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) August 11, 2025
Was a while before Dugger got reps against the scout-team offense. When he did, it was brief and with CBs Miles Battle and Kobee Minor.
Jaylinn Hawkins, Jabrill Peppers and Craig Woodson all in earlier than Dugger.
The Patriots secondary might have new leaders during the 2025 season if Kyle Dugger is on the outs
Given his experience as a head coach and a different preference for how he likes his defense to look and perform, there was a high likelihood that some Patriots players who fans thought might be safe for the season ahead would face an uncertain future under Mike Vrabel.
Some expected names have fallen into that category so far, but it now looks like Dugger is feeling that uncertainty, as Jabrill Peppers continues to be the top dog of the safety room. On top of that, those competing for a roster spot who have been further down the depth chart appear to be moving up during training camp, like Jaylinn Hawkins and rookie Craig Woodson.
That doesn't provide a lot of optimism regarding Dugger's stance with the team, especially since he was on the long list of players who needed to have a standout offseason to ensure that the new coaching staff knew they were worth the investment from the team.
Instead, Dugger is working with the backups during practice and could be among the few tradeable options before the season begins. Despite not performing well last year, there are likely to be teams that will want to add him to their roster, hoping he can revert to the player he was during the 2023 season.
So far, that hasn't been the case. But there are still two preseason games left and plenty of practices to be had for Dugger to change the direction of his immediate and long-term career in New England, even if it's not looking like it right now.