The New England Patriots continued their offseason plan of re-signing their own pending free agents, signing safety Kyle Dugger to a four-year contract worth $58 million, according to a source. the team.
The Pats had already placed the transition tag on Dugger, ensuring they would have a chance to match any offer Dugger received.
Instead, they got an extension with another core member of their team. They had already signed Mike Onwenu, Hunter Henry, Anfernee Jennings, Kendrick Bourne and Josh Uche this offseason.
There are certainly fair criticisms about why a 4-13 team returns so many players, but the Patriots’ new regime is having trouble attracting high-profile free agents, and they don’t want to lose the right players which they have.
Dugger, 28, emerges as a key piece in first-year coach Jerod Mayo’s defense and represents the kind of flex player position the Patriots covet. A 2020 second-round pick out of Division II Lenoir-Rhyne, Dugger improved slowly over his first few seasons. He snagged four interceptions in 2021 and snagged two pick sixes during a standout 2022 season. In 2023, Dugger finished third on the team in total tackles with 109 and was the leader in solo tackles with 71.
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