New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger is considered one of the team’s top free agent priorities through 2024.So the 27-year-old will offer more wisdom and advice as the first round of professional football contract negotiations begin in the coming weeks. As confirmed in a social media post on Tuesday, Dugger is now represented by one of 1 agencies.
The company counts current Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones and former Pats Devin McCourty, Duron Harmon and Jason McCourty as clients. All agreed to sign extensions with New England while in free agency.
Dugger has served as the head of Athletes First since joining the NFL in 2020. “We are proud to introduce our newest client at 1 Agency, Kyle Dugger,” wrote sports agent Wesley Spencer.
Highly regarded for his versatility, Dugger was heralded as a future star in the Patriots’ defensive backfield after being drafted in the second round. No. 37 overall) in the 2020 NFL Draft, he led all quarterbacks with 109 total tackles while collecting seven pass breakups, two interceptions and 1.5 sacks on defense.
The Lenoir-Rhyne product brings the perfect combination of speed, length and size to the New England defensive backfield. Big Nickel (five defensive backs) and Dime (six defensive backs) defensive packages.
At his best, he can cover a lot of ground and has the tools to adjust coverage to tight ends and receivers in the backfield. Dugger is also a good tackler and can make stops in critical situations. The most impressive aspect of his success in his first three seasons was his display of strong football skills.
He showed great intuition and a deep understanding of the game. It’s no surprise that the Patriots want to keep Foxborough’s talented defense around for years to come. Whether Dugger’s change in representation makes it more or less likely that he will stick with the Patriots remains to be seen. The league’s 2024 free agency period begins March 13.
