After his latest demotion this offseason, New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger could be on his way out, as this might signal a possible release. According to reports, Dugger is fighting for his starting role this upcoming season since new head coach Mike Vrabel demoted him to the second team, which means he has competition this year. Originally selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the former Lenoir-Rhyne product spent his entire career with the New England Patriots, but it looks like his job could be in jeopardy, and a release could be on the horizon as he’s still recovering from his latest injury. Despite signing a four-year contract last offseason, he was a part of the old regime in New England, so being with Vrabel in town, Dugger might not get the proper attention.
Dugger was one of the several players taken during the Bill Belichick Era. However, he was struggling last year while battling an injury will return this year after ankle surgery. Unfortunately, the safety is at a disadvantage this upcoming campaign, so it’s safe to say that a release makes sense once the preseason is over. The Patriots have other options at safety, like Jaylinn Hawkins and starter Jabrill Peppers, while rookie Craig Woodson has gotten a shot in first-team reps. With that, the veteran should receive interest across the league on a one-year contract from these teams.
Breaking: Patriots Kyle Dugger Demotion Could Signal Release – 4 Possible Destinations
Best Fits
Carolina Panthers
After making several moves defensively through free agency, the Carolina Panthers might be a sleeper team this upcoming season. The Panthers signed Tre’Von Moehrig, but they could use more firepower in that secondary room to help Nick Scott. Dugger might not be a starter anymore in the league in the next three years, but if he can stay healthy, he might be able to help Carolina’s worst defense into something powerful.
New Orleans Saints
Meanwhile, the New Orleans Saints have no other choice but to lean on their defense to give them a fighting chance in each matchup this 2025 campaign. The offense is led by two inadequate quarterbacks, Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler, especially transitioning to a new head coach in Kellen Moore. The Saints made a few moves defensively, signing Justin Reid and Julian Blackmon after Tyrann Mathieu’s retirement. Dugger could share the snaps with Blackmon and create one of the most dangerous safety units in the league.
Dallas Cowboys
However, the Dallas Cowboys might have one of the worst secondaries this season. After losing Jourdan Lewis to Jacksonville, the team quickly made a trade for Kaiir Elam and signed Robert Rochell for depth. While Trevon Diggs and Daron Bland have been efficient before, they’re coming off one of their worst seasons last year. Why not get someone like Dugger to dig themselves out a role if they’re looking to move on from Donovan Wilson, who was also nursing an injury and was unproductive last season.
Los Angeles Chargers
Nobody loves winning football games in the trenches more than head coach Jim Harbaugh, but they must keep that same energy on the secondary. Luckily, they didn’t take the cheap route, and they signed Donte Jackson and Benjamin St-Juste on low-stakes contracts. Alohi Gilman is returning from an injury, and even though they re-signed Tony Jefferson and Elijah Molden this offseason to help Derwin James, why not get Dugger in the mix to have a deep group of capable secondary men to turn the ball over?
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