By all accounts, head coach Mike Vrabel has created a competitive situation across the board at Patriots training camp. There’s a strong mixture of young and veteran talent, which could lead to some difficult and newsworthy decisions come cut-down day.
While few would use the word “stacked” to describe New England’s current training camp roster, analyst Greg Bedard of Boston Sports Journal used that word in relation to the team’s ongoing battle at safety.
From presumptive starters Jabrill Peppers and Kyle Dugger, to intriguing offseason additions Marcus Epps and rookie Craig Woodson, to potential wild-card Brenden Schooler, the team has enough safety depth to make things uncomfortable entering this week’s preseason opener with the Washington Commanders.
For the Patriots, that's a good thing, and Bedard believes one recently extended Patriots safety should be feeling the pressure more than most entering the dog days of camp.
Patriots starter Kyle Dugger named trade/cut candidate after slow start to training camp
Bedard dropped his latest 53-man roster projection for BSJ on Monday, and he predicts the team will cut ties with Dugger despite signing the former second-round pick to a $58 million extension in 2024.
“This might be it for Kyle Dugger,” Bedard wrote. “He's the same player he's always been, and showed that by getting beat twice this week on the same old stuff. There's always just a slight momentary lack of focus. He's not worth close to $14.5 million, and I'd take the dead money hit now in a release if you can't find a buyer for that contract (that would probably be difficult).”
The Patriots made their feelings on Dugger clear last offseason, when they placed a $13.8 million transition tag on their then 28-year-old starting safety before the new league year. The move gave them the right to match any free agent offer Dugger received on the open market, and the two sides eventually agreed to a four-year extension that included $32.5 million in guarantees.
It’s worth mentioning that Dugger was signed under the Jerod Mayo regime, so it’s possible that Vrabel and company choose to rip the Band-Aid off and look to recoup whatever value they can. Per Pro Football Focus, Dugger had his worst season as a pro in 2024, allowing a brutal 141.3 passer rating and six touchdowns when targeted.
Dugger could definitely be among the NFL’s surprise cut-down day casualties later this month. Perhaps more likely? The Patriots let this situation play out until 2026, when the team could cut ties with Dugger’s contract for just $9 million in dead-cap charges, per Spotrac.
Either way, Patriots fans tuning into Friday's preseason opener should be keeping an eye on Dugger and how the safety reps are distributed as a whole.