Patriots veteran security Kyle Dugger appears to be trending in the wrong direction.
The 2020 second-round choose, who was elevated to captain in 2024 after former Patriots linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley suffered an damage, was operating with the scout group protection throughout Day 14 of Patriots training camp on Monday. It continued a troubling development as Dugger has all however misplaced his beginning spot within the secondary.
“That is often not one thing that you’d see a starter, or perhaps a frequently-used contributor, doing in a scenario when you’ve 90 guys on the roster and loads of our bodies,” Patriots insider Phil Perry stated relating to the scout-team work throughout the Patriots Talk podcast.
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Patriots insider Tom E. Curran and Perry have stored shut tabs on the growing scenario.
The 2 famous that Dugger has been working as the fourth safety behind fellow veteran Jabrill Peppers, second-year Patriot Jaylinn Hawkins and 2025 fourth-round choose Craig Woodson. He is seeing snaps alongside cornerbacks Miles Battle and Kobee Minor, neither of whom had been included on Perry’s 53-man roster projection.
Battle, particularly, is considered as a developmental candidate for the Patriots observe squad.
“To me, Dugger, the way in which they used him particularly in observe (Monday), it makes him seem like a reserve defensive again,” Perry stated.
Is that to say Dugger shall be on the surface trying in when the Patriots trim down their 53-man roster earlier than Aug. 27? No, not essentially. Particularly since Dugger is getting into the second 12 months of his four-year, $58 million contract and carries a daunting dead cap number ought to the Patriots launch him, as Curran defined.
Whether or not it is rooted in Dugger’s age, damage historical past, decline in manufacturing or mixture of all of the above, the Patriots may need a troublesome resolution to make on the as soon as impactful defender.
Additionally on this episode:
- Are Drake Maye’s turnovers trigger for concern?
- How Mike Vrabel is getting essentially the most out of Maye’s management
- Breaking down how the offense appeared on Day 14
- Will Patriots overcome struggles towards Vikings?
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