'Dissatisfied?' Kyle Dugger Hates New England Patriots' Franchise Tag?

New England Patriots' safety Kyle Dugger has yet to sign the franchise tag contract offer.

Nov 5, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (23) runs the / Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The high points of the New England Patriots' have partly centered on retaining the silver linings from last season's four-win slog, including Kendrick Bourne, Hunter Henry, Michael Onwenu, and Josh Uche.

Kyle Dugger would be included on that list, having been bestowed a $13.8 million franchise tag, but Andrew Callahan of The Boston Globe reported that the homegrown safety hasn't signed. Callahan further theorized that Dugger could think about a trade if things don't thaw.

"Dugger remains dissatisfied with the transition tag," Callahan said. "As of late this week, he had not signed the tag."

Jan 1, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (23) runs for a / Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Using the franchise tag was an anomaly in the Bill Belichick era, as the long-tenured Patriots head coach extended it only 10 times in his near quarter-century holding the general manager duties as well. Joe Thuney was the last to gain the title in 2020 after a five-year gap from Stephen Gostkowski. That wound up being Thuney final season in Foxborough before he moved onto the Kansas City Chiefs.

Callahan, noting that the Patriots wouldn't even consider trading Dugger if not for the respective breakouts of Marte Mapu and Jabrill Peppers, used the similarly-skilled L'Jarius Sneed as a barometer for interest in a hypothetical Dugger trade. Sneed was moved from the Chiefs to the Tennessee Titans for a third-round draft pick and a seventh-round swap.

"Ex-Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, younger, better, and playing a more premium position, only fetched a 2025 third-round pick. Part of the trade return includes expected compensation, and Sneed got a $76.4 million bag," Callahan said. "It’s unlikely Dugger commands more than a fourth-round value, but if dealing him closes the gap in a draft-day trade that allows the Patriots to add an extra first- or second-round pick, would they do it?"

Dugger has been one of the more intriguing prospects of the Patriots' affairs in the new decade, chosen in the second round of 2020's draft out of Division II Lenoir-Rhyne. With this offseason setting the course for both New England's present and future, what transpires on the Dugger front could help pen the Patriots' pace in this rebuild project.