Patriots Make Telling Kyle Dugger Admission After Jabrill Peppers Leaves Practice

It continues to look like Kyle Dugger has fallen out of favor with the New England Patriots.

Dugger’s play has declined since signing a four-year, $58 million extension in April 2024. He was from the Bill Belichick era, and it is plausible that Mike Vrabel doesn’t see him as a fit going forward. His training camp usage has, at the least, suggested they don’t view him as a starter.

Judging by Thursday’s joint practice in Minnesota, they might not view him as a reserve, either.

The Boston Globe’s Nicole Yang reported that Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers left practice early. Instead of Dugger stepping up in his place, the Patriots went with Dell Pettus.

Wrote Yang: “Safety Jabrill Peppers left practice early and did not participate in team drills. Even in his absence, Kyle Dugger remained out of the primary safety rotation with Dell Pettus instead joining Jaylinn Hawkins and Craig Woodson. Asked about potentially moving Dugger to linebacker, coach Mike Vrabel said, ‘We would consider anything to try to help the football team and help the player. That’s everything we want to try to do.'”

Trying Dugger at linebacker would make sense given his size and physical style of play. However, all sides benefit more from Dugger playing at a starting safety level as he used to. It might be wiser to move on then try to force him into a different position.

Time will tell if Dugger is able to work his way into playing time or if the Patriots can find a trade partner. If neither of those come to pass, he very well might be let go on cutdown day — something that not too long ago would’ve been hard to fathom.