Kyle

Dugger

S Kyle Dugger (knee) is active. Even with the Pats shaking up their receiver corps, including cutting Tyquan Thornton, veteran Osborn can’t get on the field. The 27-year-old seems like he could be a backup slot asset in a more pass-heavy offense, but pass-heavy this attack is not.

Dugger has been out with the knee issue for a few weeks. He did not practice once this week, putting his availability for Week 11 up in the air as well. Dugger has two pass breakups, one forced fumble, and a sack in six games this year.

Both Osborn and Thornton are healthy scratches and are rumored to be trade candidates ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. That should mean more snaps/potential targets for Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, but the New England passing game is one to avoid right now.

Russini notes that the 49ers are looking to add help on defense and the team is aware of Godchaux’s availability via trade. While it’s unclear if anything will materialize before Tuesday’s trade deadline, San Francisco certainly fits the mold as a team that wouldn’t mind taking on Godchaux’s salary and parting with draft picks given where the 49ers are in their contention window. Russini also notes that New England is open to trading receivers Tyquan Thornton and Kendrick Bourne as well as safety Kyle Dugger.

Fellow Patriots WR K.J. Osborn (shoulder) is also questionable this week. Injuries on the defensive side of the ball piled up last week. Starting safeties Kyle Dugger (ankle) and Jabrill Peppers (shoulder) are likewise questionable, as are LB Anfernee Jennings (shoulder) and CB Jonathan Jones (shoulder).

Dugger went down with an ankle injury in the Pats’ Week 4 loss to the 49ers and did not return. A DNP to open the week suggests he won’t be able to suit up on Sunday. Fellow safety Jabrill Pepper was also held out of practice on Wednesday. He is dealing with a shoulder injury. Though losing both safeties would be a brutal blow to the Patriots’ defense, it’s possible the Dolphins, with Tyler Huntley under center, aren’t capable of taking advantage of an understaffed New England secondary.

The Patriots’ defense cannot catch a break. If Dugger is unable to return, this will be the fourth defensive starter the unit has lost.

Sow missed Week 1 because of the hip injury and will sit for at least one more week. He started 13 games at right guard as a rookie and was projected to move to left guard in his second season. Michael Jordan (not that one) took his spot in the lineup in Week 1 and should do so again versus Seattle. Safety Kyle Dugger is listed as questionable because of an ankle injury.

The deal is worth “up to” $66 million and includes $32.5 million fully guaranteed. Whomever leaked the news of the new agreement was (correctly) hammering the point that it continues the Pats’ recent trend of doing second contracts with homegrown players after that practice had grown surprisingly rare the final few years under Bill Belichick. Already 28, Dugger is far older than a player would typically be at the end of their rookie contract, but he remains a dependable, play-making option at the back end of the Pats’ defense. He also had his healthiest season in 2023.

While it’s likely Dugger will remain in New England, the transition tag allows other teams to offer him a contract that the Patriots will have a chance to match. Dugger had a career-high 109 total tackles in 2023 and is surely looking to benefit financially from his best season.