Throughout the Patriots' 2024 season, the offense was almost exclusively the focus of all scrutiny despite the defense underperforming and contributing to the piling up of losses. Plenty of players were part of the defense's mess, with safety Kyle Dugger having the spotlight on him late in the season for all the wrong reasons.
He received a well-deserved contract extension in the offseason and was projected to build upon his Pro Bowl-caliber season from the year before, leading the impressive safety group the Patriots had put together over the last few years.
But that's far from what happened, and Dugger actually became one of the weakest parts of the defense, especially later in the year, without much explanation regarding his downfall. It prompted many to question the decision to sign him to a new contract, as he looked like he might not repeat the impressive performances of his past.
Then, at the end of the season, we finally figured out what led to his unrecognizable season: an undiagnosed high ankle sprain that Dugger played on until the season finale. He underwent surgery early this offseason to repair the damage, and many believe he is primed for a comeback season in 2025 because of it.
Kyle Dugger is destined to prove he is the same player who deservedly signed a contract extension with the Patriots last year
There was a lot of hype around Dugger at the time of his extension, as most fans believed he had become a star in his own right in the Patriots' secondary. Perhaps that led to too high expectations for him going into the 2024 season, but he looked equipped to handle the pressure and deliver.
Now that he should be in a better place since recovering from ankle surgery, the Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan believes Dugger will undoubtedly revert to his old form and be among the best players on the Patriots roster in 2025, putting on an impressive bounce-back season.
"It's Kyle Dugger. People forget this was a Pro Bowl-caliber player. ... He forces fumbles, he can make picks, he's durable.
What happened last year was -- and I was on the phone with him in January after he had surgery -- he had a high-ankle sprain that the team just did not diagnose, and he continued to play on and it worsened, and teams picked at him in coverage. He said, 'Look, I've got to play. I'm all we really have at the safety position, especially when Jabrill Peppers is out.' When he is back, he is still in the back end of his prime. I expect him to be a top-10, maybe top-5 player on this roster."
Now that we know he was playing through a painful injury last season, which almost assuredly made Dugger play uncharacteristically poorly, Callahan's prediction doesn't feel too outlandish.
The hope (of course) is that the reporter is right and we will see the Dugger of old retake the field this fall, especially with the return of Jabril Peppers and the addition of rookie defensive back Craig Woodson. They could easily have one of the top-5 secondaries in the league, and Dugger will need to play up to par to ensure that can happen.