At the scouting combine, Eliot Wolf said he wanted to keep Mike Onwenu and Kyle Dugger. It may have taken a little longer on the latter, but finally, mission accomplished. A league source confirms that Dugger has signed a four-year extension with $32.5 million guaranteed and a maximum value of $66 million.
Dugger had been dabbling in the free agent market, albeit handcuffed by the rarely used transition tag the Pats had slapped on him back in early March. But that tag - $13.8 million - set the floor for his new deal, no doubt washing away the unwanted surprise and distaste at being tagged in the first place.
For Dugger, this deal is a win-win. He's an older free agent, turning 28 a couple of weeks ago. He entered the league as a second-round pick out of Lenoir Rhyne University and seemed poised for stardom after the 2022-23 season. Dugger had three defensive touchdowns, three interceptions, a forced fumble, and a sack.
The safety wasn't the same player this past year — he struggled in coverage — but still finished with a career-high 109 tackles and didn't miss a game for a second straight season.
Dugger, Jabril Peppers, and Marte Mapu are the top three safeties on the depth chart, and though all are better served playing closer to the line of scrimmage, the Pats had no problem deploying any of three as half-field defenders, to mixed results.
The Pats are set to begin voluntary workouts on Monday, which no doubt sends a message that this regime takes care of its own. That wasn't the case during Bill Belichick's final decade-plus, as only one player drafted in the first three rounds (Duron Harmon) got a second contract since 2013.
BSJ ANALYSIS
- Do I think it's an overpay? Yes. Before the Calvin Ridley decision, I was on record saying I would have never tagged Dugger and used at least half that money to sweeten the offer to the now-Titans wide receiver. It might not have mattered — some believe Ridley was using the Pats — but we may never know, as New England's offer fell way short of what he got from Tennessee, making it a moot point.
- Dugger's best role is as a box safety. He's physical, fearless, and a sure-tackler. As a deep safety, he struggles with reading passing concepts, and taking the proper angles. But with Peppers coming off a Pro Bowl-type season and Marte seemingly cut from the same box safety ilk, the Pats' secondary may be playing without a true free safety for a second straight season (unless they draft one or have a Justin Simmons signing up their sleeve. And let's be real, would you pay Dugger and Simmons? I can't imagine).
- Dugger is well-liked by teammates, partly because of his willingness to do whatever is asked. So, while I wouldn't have compensated him to this level - his APY is now 5th highest at the position - the Pats do have the cash to burn and shouldn't have to worry about the soft-spoken Dugger becoming a problem. That's a good message for the rest of the room to receive.