The Steelers are adding help to their secondary, acquiring safety Kyle Dugger in a trade with the Patriots.
According to NFL Network, the Steelers are acquiring Dugger and a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick.
Dugger, 29, had lost his starting job with the Patriots under new head coach Mike Vrabel. In seven games and four starts this season, Dugger has recorded 17 tackles with zeroes in the columns for passes defensed, interceptions, sacks, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries. Over his six-year career, the former second-round pick of the 2020 NFL Draft has recorded 441 tackles, nine interceptions, 24 passes defensed, 3.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He led the NFL with two pick-sixes in the 2022 season.
Dugger is primarily a box safety who can play well in run defense and tackle well, very similar to DeShon Elliott, who's week-to-week with a hyperextended knee. In Vrabel's system, he's been a bit of a liability in coverage. So, it'll be interesting to see how the Steelers use him. Clearly, they didn't trust Chuck Clark or Jabrill Peppers enough to step up in Elliott's absence, otherwise there'd be no need to acquire Dugger.
Dugger is in the second year of a four-year, $58 million contract that initially came with $32.5 million in guaranteed money. According to Spotrac, the Steelers had $21.7 million in cap space heading into the season. Any acquiring team would have been responsible for a $10.01 million cap hit for Dugger, but the Patriots have already paid him eight game checks this season. With his 2025 salary being a fully-guaranteed $9.75 million, the Patriots have already paid roughly $4.588 million of that salary, leaving around $5.422 million toward the cap with this move.
However, according to NFL Network, the Patriots are picking up most of that remaining salary as part of the trade. In addition, the remaining cap hits of $11 million in 2026 and $12 million in 2027 -- none of it guaranteed -- will be wiped out, making Dugger a free agent after the season with the Steelers free of any financial responsibility.
To make room for Dugger, the Steelers are expected to place Elliott on injured reserve.
THE ASYLUM
Steelers acquire Dugger from Patriots
The Steelers are adding help to their secondary, acquiring safety Kyle Dugger in a trade with the Patriots.
According to NFL Network, the Steelers are acquiring Dugger and a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick.
Dugger, 29, had lost his starting job with the Patriots under new head coach Mike Vrabel. In seven games and four starts this season, Dugger has recorded 17 tackles with zeroes in the columns for passes defensed, interceptions, sacks, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries. Over his six-year career, the former second-round pick of the 2020 NFL Draft has recorded 441 tackles, nine interceptions, 24 passes defensed, 3.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He led the NFL with two pick-sixes in the 2022 season.
Dugger is primarily a box safety who can play well in run defense and tackle well, very similar to DeShon Elliott, who's week-to-week with a hyperextended knee. In Vrabel's system, he's been a bit of a liability in coverage. So, it'll be interesting to see how the Steelers use him. Clearly, they didn't trust Chuck Clark or Jabrill Peppers enough to step up in Elliott's absence, otherwise there'd be no need to acquire Dugger.
Dugger is in the second year of a four-year, $58 million contract that initially came with $32.5 million in guaranteed money. According to Spotrac, the Steelers had $21.7 million in cap space heading into the season. Any acquiring team would have been responsible for a $10.01 million cap hit for Dugger, but the Patriots have already paid him eight game checks this season. With his 2025 salary being a fully-guaranteed $9.75 million, the Patriots have already paid roughly $4.588 million of that salary, leaving around $5.422 million toward the cap with this move.
However, according to NFL Network, the Patriots are picking up most of that remaining salary as part of the trade. In addition, the remaining cap hits of $11 million in 2026 and $12 million in 2027 -- none of it guaranteed -- will be wiped out, making Dugger a free agent after the season with the Steelers free of any financial responsibility.
To make room for Dugger, the Steelers are expected to place Elliott on injured reserve.
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