The New England Patriots had themselves a busy Tuesday night.
The Patriots are trading safety Kyle Dugger and a 2026 seventh-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for their 2026 sixth-round pick, NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reports.
News of Dugger’s trade came less than an hour after New England reportedly dealt edge rusher Keion White to the San Francisco 49ers in an identical deal.
Like White, Dugger slid down the Patriots’ depth chart this summer, as Jaylinn Hawkins and rookie Craig Woodson took over as the team’s starting safeties in the preseason. In fact, Dugger was viewed as a potential candidate to be released prior to the 53-man roster cutdown deadline.
The fifth-year veteran made the roster, however, and has operated mostly in a reserve role this season, playing just 39 percent of New England’s defensive snaps with zero pass breakups and zero interceptions over seven games.
Unlike White, the Patriots invested heavily in Dugger, handing him a four-year, $58 million contract extension prior to the 2024 season. According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, New England will pay “most” of the $5.4 million that’s left on Dugger’s $9.75 million base salary for this season, while the final two years of his deal have been “wiped out,” meaning Dugger can be a free agent after this year.
In Pittsburgh, Dugger will reunite with safety and fellow former Patriots captain Jabrill Peppers, who signed with the Steelers after New England released him in late August.
It was a busy day for the Patriots, who also gave cornerback Marcus Jones a three-year contract extension earlier Tuesday. To recap, here’s what the Patriots acquired and sent out in Tuesday’s pair of reported trades:
- Patriots trade: DE Keion White, S Kyle Dugger, two 2026 seventh-round picks
- Patriots receive: Two 2026 sixth-round picks
