Not everyone was a fan of Kyle Dugger being taken in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft. Drafting a Division II safety that high seemed like a puzzling choice, especially after years of lackluster drafts by the New England Patriots.
There were some scars there for fans.
Fast forward over two years later, and Dugger has emerged as one of the best young safeties in the NFL. He’s the Patriots’ best playmaker, and he does a lot of things that don’t necessarily show up on the stat sheet.
He carries a career PFF grade of 70.7 defensively with a 69.7 grade against the run and 69.1 in coverage. Since coming to New England, he has notched 168 tackles, seven interceptions and five pass break-ups.
Dugger carries a $2.6 million cap hit for 2023 and could be in line for an extension that is valued in the range of contracts for players like Quandre Diggs, Marcus Williams, Kevin Byard, Eddie Jackson, and Budda Baker.
His contract could be outside the top-five highest paid safeties and could look like a steal as the new cap numbers roll out.
Estimated Contract: 4 years $60m, $30m guaranteed. Signed through 2027.
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