The New England Patriots will have some decisions to make in regards to contracts this offseason. One of those decisions involves safety Kyle Dugger.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick touched on the topic on Thursday.
Dugger is in the last year of his rookie deal and has been a key part of the New England defense. He has recorded 234 combined tackles and seven interceptions in three seasons of play. The 2020 second-round draft pick made an impact quickly and fit into New England’s defense seamlessly.
Another strong season will be important, following the retirement of Devin McCourty. Belichick heaped praise on Dugger, while potentially hinting at a new contract possibly being in the works.
“Kyle is a really good player. He can run, tackle, he can cover, he can blitz—yeah, he’s great. Those guys are great,” said Belichick. “That’s why they go high in the draft, and they’re getting paid a lot of money. That’s what they bring.”
Bill Belichick on Kyle Dugger:
“Really good … that’s why they [good players] get paid a lot of money.” 👀#Patriots pic.twitter.com/DGU4H0mJ25
— Patriots on CLNS (@PatriotsCLNS) July 27, 2023
Getting Dugger to sign a long-term deal would be important for the New England defense. It would help lock down the safety position for the foreseeable future by ensuring one of the team’s key playmakers on the roster stays put.
