Dugger has played into the second half this preseason.
One year removed from signing a four-year, $58 million contract extension, Kyle Dugger’s future with the New England Patriots has been a key question mark with the team this offseason.
Adjusting to a new coaching staff and defensive scheme led by Mike Vrabel, Dugger played throughout the fourth quarter in New England’s second preseason game in Minnesota. Less than a week later, Dugger again took the field in the second half as projected starters watched in street clothes from the sidelines.
But with NFL cut-down day on Tuesday, the 29-year old is not anxious about his standing on the roster.
“Nah. Things are going to go, how they’re going to go,” Dugger told reporters after the game. “Trusting God in it and I’m going to keep taking opportunities I have to continue to get better.”
When on the field Thursday night, Dugger turned in perhaps one of his best performances of the summer. In addition to being in the right spot to capitalize on a Giants miscommunication and haul in an interception on fourth-down, Dugger was tight in coverage on numerous downfield incompletions.
The safety, who noted he’s continuing to get back to playing faster, also flashed coming down hill en route to piling up six solo tackles.
“I think he’s continued to take advantage of the opportunities and the reps. I think he’s feeling more comfortable,” Vrabel said post game. “We talked about a long rehab process in the offseason that he committed to. But it wasn’t a quick rehab process. He had surgery. And so I think that he’s gotten better. I think he’s improved. I think he’s feeling better. It looks like he’s feeling better on tape. So, that’s good to see. Those are all positive things — making a play, two interceptions.
“I thought he flashed. I thought he triggered. I thought he tackled. I thought his length showed up — all these things. And we didn’t blitz anybody tonight. We didn’t do any of that. Just playing in our base scheme and those things I thought showed up tonight.”
Despite a positive review from his head coach, Dugger believes there remains room for growth.
“I got a lot of work to do. A lot of room for improvement. That’s what I’m focused on,” he said.
Category: General Sports
