The New England Patriots and Kyle Dugger reached an agreement on a contract extension earlier this offseason, keeping the starting safety signed for the next four years at a cost of $58 million. With that money naturally comes the expectation of Dugger continuing to develop into a cornerstone player on the team’s defense.
It seems he is putting in the work to do just that. According to a recent tidbit by Mike Reiss of ESPN, Dugger has decided to stay in town this summer and regularly show up at Gillette Stadium:
3. Dugger stays local: Most Patriots players leave the area in the weeks before training camp, often returning to their hometowns, but safety Kyle Dugger hasn’t been among the group. Dugger has continued to show up at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots would naturally like to see the 2020 second-round pick elevate to more of a leadership role after signing him to a four-year, $58 million extension this offseason.
Dugger originally joined the Patriots as a second-round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, and over the subsequent four seasons developed into a reliable presence in the secondary. Following the retirement of long-time starter Devin McCourty, he and teammate Jabrill Peppers took over as the one-two punch at the safety position last year.
His performance as well as his abilities as a do-it-all member and key contributor in the defensive backfield made the Patriots use the transition tag to keep Dugger from entering free agency in March. Shortly thereafter, the 28-year-old signed his new multi-year extension.
In total, Dugger has seen action in 62 total games with 53 starts since arriving in New England. He has nine interceptions as well as two fumble recoveries to his name, and scored three defensive touchdowns along the way.
Dugger was one of multiple starters to sign new deals this offseason, a group that also includes defensive tackle Christian Barmore, linebacker Jahlani Tavai, offensive linemen Michael Onwenu and David Andrews, and running back Rhamondre Stevenson. All o
