Patriots-steelers Trade Grades: Pittsburgh Adds Versatile Safety To Its Defense

There seems to beryllium precocious request for Patriots players drafted earlier Mike Vrabel returned to New England arsenic nan caput coach. 

On Tuesday, nan Patriots traded information Kyle Dugger and a 2026 seventh-round prime to nan Steelers successful speech for a ’26 sixth-round pick. Dugger was traded to Pittsburgh minutes aft nan news collapsed of nan Patriots sending protect extremity Keion White to San Francisco. 

Dugger was viewed arsenic a trim campaigner aft he was demoted to nan 2nd squad and forced to beryllium himself during preseason games. He now gets a caller commencement successful Pittsburgh and could summation a starting occupation to assistance 1 of nan worst secondaries successful nan league. 

Here are nan waste and acquisition grades for nan Patriots and nan Steelers.

Dugger not getting overmuch of a chance to beryllium himself to Vrabel is simply a reddish flag. Dugger went from playing much than 90% of nan protect snaps nan past 2 seasons to having to showcase himself successful nan preseason, arsenic rumors swirled astir him perchance being cut.

However, nan Steelers apt had nary issues ignoring nan reddish emblem because they desperately request thief improving a defense that’s allowing a league-worst 273.3 passing yards per game. That’s astir 15 yards much than nan Cowboys, nan second-worst walk defense successful nan league. 

Dugger, a 2020 second-round pick, started 4 games for nan Patriots, but played only 44% of nan protect snaps successful 7 games this season. He appeared to beryllium a halfway subordinate successful New England aft impressing successful his first 4 seasons, yet getting a four-year, $58 cardinal statement hold earlier nan 2024 season. 

After losing his starting job, Dugger has a chance to climb nan Steelers’ extent floor plan aft information quickly DeShon Elliott injured his knee successful past week’s nonaccomplishment to nan Packers. 

Pittsburgh’s secondary sewage torched by Joe Flacco and Jordan Love successful back-to-back weeks. But Dugger’s strengths are amended utilized person to nan statement of scrimmage, and he hasn’t excelled arsenic a downfield sum player. Perhaps nan Steelers are reasoning Dugger’s physicality tin spark a protect beforehand that has disappointed contempt having T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. Also, linebacker Patrick Queen is successful nan midst of a down season. 

If Dugger tin beryllium a do-it-all playmaker, possibly that will aftermath up nan walk rush, which could disguise nan secondary’s issues. Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay haven’t worked retired successful their first seasons arsenic cornerbacks for nan Steelers. 

Still, it mightiness not beryllium a bad thought for nan Steelers to return nan Patriots’ attack and vessel retired immoderate of their struggling defenders while tinkering pinch their personnel, particularly astatine cornerback. 

Grade: B- 

Patriots 

Clearly, Vrabel didn’t position Dugger arsenic a strategy fresh and ne'er made a existent effort to make it work. 

The Patriots shook up their protect roster successful nan offseason. They wasted nary clip revamping nan portion by spending money successful free agency, including nan additions of Milton Williams, Harold Landry III, Robert Spillane and Carlton Davis III. 

With Dugger not successful nan mix, nan Patriots were wise to clasp connected to him until nan correct waste and acquisition offer. New England now has 2 other sixth-round picks aft shipping Dugger and White to different teams and could perchance flip those to thief their first-place squad earlier nan Nov. 4 waste and acquisition deadline. 

It mightiness person helped Vrabel group nan modular successful New England aft forcing established players, for illustration Dugger, to beryllium themselves. And if they didn’t, nan Patriots had plentifulness of extent to springiness different players opportunities acknowledgment to their engaged offseason. 

Vrabel has done plentifulness correct since returning to New England this year. 

Grade: B

More NFL connected Sports Illustrated