Patriots Name New Defensive Captain

The New England Patriots have named a new defensive captain in the midst of Ja'Whaun Bentley's injury.

Aug 25, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (23) takes the field before the game against the Washington Commanders at Commanders Field. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots not only suffered a massive loss on the field when linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley went down with a torn pectoral muscle, but they also lost one of their team captains.

Well, the Patriots have elected a new captain in Bentley's place: safety Kyle Dugger (h/t Dan Kelly of Patriots Football Now).

Dugger has been a staple in New England's secondary since being selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, so making him a captain certainly makes sense.

The 28-year-old played in 14 games and made seven starts during his rookie campaign and then became a full-time starter in his second season. That year, he registered 92 tackles, four interceptions, a forced fumble and five passes defended.

Dugger continued to impress in 2022, finishing with 78 tackles, a sack, three picks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, eight passes defended and a couple of defensive touchdowns.

The Lenoir-Rhyne product then racked up 109 stops, 1.5 sacks, a pair of interceptions, a forced fumble and seven passes defended last season.

Through the first three games of 2024, Dugger has logged 18 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble.

Defense was considered a strong point for the Pats heading into the season, although New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers lit up their defensive backfield in Week 3.

Plus, not having Bentley is a major blow, especially considering that the Patriots traded Matthew Judon and were already missing defensive lineman Christian Barmore.

At this point, Dugger is unquestionably one of the more recognizable names on New England's defense and comprises a rather impressive safety duo alongside of Jabrill Peppers.

Now, with Bentley sidelined, more responsibility has been placed up on Dugger's shoulders as a leader.

The Pats will try to bounce back from consecutive losses when they face the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Cowboys Super Contenders With Patriots Legend?
• Patriots Named Landing Spot for Steelers QB
• Patriots Sign Intriguing Rookie WR
• Aaron Rodgers Reached Out to Patriots QB After Loss
• Two Teams Named Favorites for Patriots’ Bill Belichick