Patriots Kyle Dugger: ‘Love’ New England; Contract Extension?

The New England Patriots would love to sign safety Kyle Dugger to a contract extension. But, how much will it cost to keep him off the open market?

FOXBORO — With longtime team captain Devin McCourty having retired in the offseason, the New England Patriots are eager to determine who among their next generation of select players capable of carrying the team’s ‘matrix of leadership.’

In other words, the Pats are looking for that ‘next man up’ to blend the in-game skill set along with the ability to command and direct the team both on and off the field. 

Unsurprisingly, safety Kyle Dugger is emerging as a leading candidate. However, it should be noted that the 27-year-old’s future in Foxboro is uncertain. 

Dugger’s rookie contract is set to expire after the season, An entrance into unrestricted free agency will soon follow, if the two sides are unable to agree to an extension prior to the start of the new NFL year in March 2024. Should he hit the open market, Dugger is expected to command a robust collection of suitors, with a likely expensive price tag. 

In true Patriots fashion Dugger is taking each day at a time, while keeping his primary focus on the football field. 

“I’d love to play ball here,” Dugger told reporters on Wednesday when asked about his future in New England. “As far as everything else, I kind of leave that to my agent. I’m just focused on playing ball while I’m here.”

Abundantly praised for his versatility, Dugger has been heralded as a potential future star of the Patriots’ defensive backfield since being drafted in the second round (no. 37 overall) in the 2020 NFL Draft. In 15 games played in 2022, he compiled 78 solo tackles (five, for loss,) eight passes-defensed, three interceptions — two of which were returned for touchdowns — and one fumble recovery for a score. Due to his knowledge of the Patriots defensive schemes, Dugger was almost universally expected to take on a leadership role for New England’s defense in light of McCourty’s retirement.

Though two training camp practices is hardly a representative sample size, Dugger is already showing a wisdom beyond his years on the field. He is the only player to earn two interceptions off starter Mac Jones thus far, and routinely finds himself in position to make plays on nearly every rep during team drills. In fact, Dugger’s performance has been strong enough to earn the often elusive high praise from coach Bill Belichick. 

“Kyle does a great job,” Belichick tole reporters on Thursday morning. “He’s big, he can run, can tackle, cover, blitz. Those guys are great. That’s why they go high in the draft. There’s a premium for them, and they get paid a lot of money. That’s what they bring.”

While one may be hard-pressed to disagree with his effusive adulation of the star safety, Belichick’s mention of “money” was particularly of interest. The 71-year-old coach is not known for sharing superfluous information. As such, his willingness to even mention the financial aspect of Dugger’s value shows that — at the very least — Belichick and the Patriots are keeping an eye on Dugger’s potential market price.  

He also realizes the degree of difficulty he may face in trying to replace the multi-faceted Dugger on the field. 

The Lenoir-Rhyne product brings an excellent blend of speed, length, size to New England’s defensive backfield — both big nickel (five defensive backs) and dime (six defensive backs) defensive packages. At his best, he is able to cover a lot of ground and has the tools to match up with tight ends and backfield receivers in coverage. Dugger is also a good tackler, capable of making stops in key situations. 

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of his progress throughout his first three seasons was his demonstration of strong football acumen. He showed great instincts and exhibited a deep understanding of the playbook. As such, Dugger should be expected to see considerable playing time as a box/strong safety, along with some situational with some snaps as the deep man.

For exactly how many more years he will be doing so in New England, however, is still a matter of conjecture. 

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