Patriots, Kyle Dugger Agree To Four-Year Extension
The New England Patriots and safety Kyle Dugger agreed to a four-year, $58 million contract extension on Sunday, according to sources. Dugger will get the long-term deal he desired after having the transition tag placed on him this offseason. The contract is worth up to $66 million and contains $32.5 million in guaranteed money. The 28-year-old former second-round pick in 2020 out of Lenoir-Rhyne had a career-high 109 tackles (71 solo), 1.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, five QB hits, two interceptions, seven passes defended and a forced fumble in 17 starts last year in his fourth season in the NFL with the Patriots. Coming off the best season of his career, Dugger will be in play in IDP fantasy drafts at the defensive back position this fall.
The New England Patriots are placing the transition tag on safety Kyle Dugger ahead of free agency. The tag allows Dugger to become a free agent, but New England will have the chance to match any offer he receives from another organization. Dugger has racked up 343 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, nine interceptions, and 17 run stuffs in 61 games since being selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He's a starting-caliber safety, so he could have a robust market when teams can begin negotiating with players on March 11.
The New England Patriots downgraded defensive back Kyle Dugger (ankle) to out for the Week 8 game against the New York Jets. Dugger was injured in Monday night's loss to the Chicago Bears, and he'll miss at least one game on a short week. It remains to be seen if the 26-year-old safety will be able to return in Week 9 to face the Indianapolis Colts. In six games this year, Dugger has 24 tackles (15 solo), one interception, two passes defensed and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. He hasn't been on the IDP radar, but Dugger's absence is a downgrade for New England's secondary against the Jets. With Dugger out, Adrian Phillips and Jabrill Peppers will be asked to step up at safety.
The New England Patriots placed safety Kyle Dugger on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Wednesday after he tested positive for the virus. Dugger, if vaccinated, will need to be asymptomatic and return two negatives tests in order to be able to play on Monday night against the Buffalo Bills. Dugger has emerged as a top-10 fantasy defensive back in IDP leagues this year, so fantasy managers in those formats will need to search for a potential replacement this week if Dugger doesn't get cleared by Monday. The 25-year-old has 80 total tackles, three interceptions and a fumble recovery in 12 games played this year, and he'll join running back J.J. Taylor on the COVID-19 list.
The New England Patriots have agreed to a four-year deal with second-round safety Kyle Dugger on Wednesday. He was a four-year starter in college that offers versatility all over on the defensive side. Dugger can contribute as a safety, defensive back, linebacker and plays special teams as well. He is already 24 years old, but the Pats believe he has the potential to be a playmaker on defense. It's unclear where he'll play in New England initially, but the organization will likely rotate him around to different spots throughout the season.
The New England Patriots used the No. 37 pick in the 2020 NFL draft to select Lenoir-Rhyne safety Kyle Dugger. Dugger joins New England as the first player from Lenoir-Rhyne to be drafted since the year 2000. The safety boasts impressive metrics, with a 4.49 40-yard dash and 42-inch vertical jump. He also showed ability as a return man in college as he was a first-team pick as a return specialist. Dugger can be expected to contribute immediately in New England's return game with a chance to start in the secondary at the beginning of the 2020 season.
