The New England Patriots made several noteworthy additions in the offseason, but they will need bounce-back years out of several returning players if they hope to be competitive in 2025.
Among those looking to rebound from a rough 2024 are running back Rhamondre Stevenson, offensive lineman Mike Onwenu, and safety Kyle Dugger. On Tuesday’s Early Edition, the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan and Phil Perry picked who they believe is most likely to turn things around next season.
“It’s Kyle Dugger,” Callahan said. “People forget this was a Pro Bowl-caliber player. … He forces fumbles, he can make picks, he’s durable.
“What happened last year was — and I was on the phone with him in January after he had surgery — he had a high-ankle sprain that the team just did not diagnose, and he continued to play on and it worsened, and teams picked at him in coverage. He said, ‘Look, I’ve got to play. I’m all we really have at the safety position, especially when Jabrill Peppers is out. When he is back, he is still in the back end of his prime. I expect him to be a top-10, maybe top-5 player on this roster.”
Dugger, a 2020 second-round pick out of Division II Lenoir-Rhyne University, flashed star potential in his first few NFL seasons. Last year, however, his production nosedived while he played through a right ankle sprain. He underwent tightrope surgery to repair his ankle in the offseason.
Kyle Dugger shares his thoughts on Mike Vrabel and how he’s already putting his imprint on the team with a focus on building connectivity.
Perry agrees that Dugger is the Patriots’ leading candidate for a bounce-back campaign, especially with Mike Vrabel as his head coach.
“I look at Mike Vrabel’s history, especially at this position,” Perry said. “Kevin Byard in Tennessee, Kenny Vaccaro in Vrabel’s early days in Tennessee. Amani Hooker was sort of a middle-round pick but ended up playing a lot of football for Mike Vrabel in Tennessee. These guys are all versatile, unafraid of contact, could do a little bit of everything in the box, deep half of the field, play in the slot. That’s what Kyle Dugger should be.
“So if he’s healthy — and I know the new regime appreciated the fact that he played hurt last year. It was clear to everybody that he played hurt last year, just given his performance. I know they like that in terms of his football character, and they like his versatility. He should fit in well with this Vrabel defense.”
The Patriots signed Dugger, their longest-tenured player, to a four-year contract extension worth $58 million before the 2024 season. The deal rewarded Dugger for racking up seven interceptions (two for touchdowns), 20 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and 343 tackles over his first four years in the NFL.
In 2024, he recorded four pass breakups with one forced fumble, 81 tackles, and no interceptions in 13 games.
Dugger bouncing back would be a significant development for the Patriots’ defense. He’ll again lead New England’s safety group alongside Jabrill Peppers, with Marcus Epps, Jaylinn Hawkins, and Marte Mapu under them on the depth chart. The Patriots also selected Cal safety Craig Woodson in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Hear everything Callahan and Perry had to say about Dugger in the video player above.
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