Patriots Player Departure Patriots trade Dugger too lol

[TommyD4207]

Still saves us at least a tiny bit versus if we just released him. They valued the slight draft capital & savings plus seeing what Saunders has to offer versus keeping Dugger who they already knew for a fact does not fit.

That and if they bought out the last two years of the contract, that should accelerate that part onto...this year's cap I think?

 

[patchick]

The last few years we have been taking LS like Ashby and guys who aren't likely for the roster.

Isn't that basically the definition of the 7th round?

Fun factoid: I recently read that no player drafted after Ashby this year has played a single snap for the team that drafted him.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Isn't that basically the definition of the 7th round?

Fun factoid: I recently read that no player drafted after Ashby this year has played a single snap for the team that drafted him.

Not so fun fact: When you look at our 1st and 2nd round picks from 2018 to 2022 they have been almost entirely dumpster fires or cut/traded from the team for scraps.

2018
1st. Isaiah Wynn - Released, 5th year option not picked up.
1st. Sony Michel - traded to Rams for 6th and 4th.
2nd. Duke Dawson - traded to Broncos for 6th.

2019
1st. N'Keal Harry - traded to Bears for 7th.
2nd. Joejuan Williams - placed on IR and released to free agency.

2020
2nd. Kyle Dugger - traded to Steelers for 6th.
2nd. Joshua Uche - traded to Chiefs for 6th.

2021
1st. Mac Jones - traded to Jaguars for 6th.
2nd. Christian Barmore - Still with the team.

2022
1st. Cole Strange - cut by Patriots.
2nd. Tyquan Thornton - cut by Patriots.

So out of these premium picks we went 1/11. Meaning we whiffed 10 times out of 11. That's a more than 90% failure rate. Piss poor drafting for 5 years is what led to 4 win seasons. The talent was all pissed away.

 

[patchick]

So out of these premium picks we went 1/11. Meaning we whiffed 10 times out of 11. That's a more than 90% failure rate. Piss poor drafting for 5 years is what led to 4 win seasons. The talent was all pissed away.

No argument here! In fact, I doubt you’ll get much argument on that from anywhere. (Not sure why it was a response to my post about 7th round ST specialists though?)

 

[Hyped]

Not so fun fact: When you look at our 1st and 2nd round picks from 2018 to 2022 they have been almost entirely dumpster fires or cut/traded from the team for scraps.

2018
1st. Isaiah Wynn - Released, 5th year option not picked up.
1st. Sony Michel - traded to Rams for 6th and 4th.
2nd. Duke Dawson - traded to Broncos for 6th.

2019
1st. N'Keal Harry - traded to Bears for 7th.
2nd. Joejuan Williams - placed on IR and released to free agency.

2020
2nd. Kyle Dugger - traded to Steelers for 6th.
2nd. Joshua Uche - traded to Chiefs for 6th.

2021
1st. Mac Jones - traded to Jaguars for 6th.
2nd. Christian Barmore - Still with the team.

2022
1st. Cole Strange - cut by Patriots.
2nd. Tyquan Thornton - cut by Patriots.

So out of these premium picks we went 1/11. Meaning we whiffed 10 times out of 11. That's a more than 90% failure rate. Piss poor drafting for 5 years is what led to 4 win seasons. The talent was all pissed away.

Comments:

-Wynn and Michel did help us in 2018 though.

===============

Now Anfernee Jennings is our longest tenured Patriot followed by Michael Onwenu.

 

[Zuma]

2018
1st. Isaiah Wynn - Released, 5th year option not picked up.

Should have put him at LG right off the bat. I believe part of his injury history was due to playing out of position.

1st. Sony Michel - traded to Rams for 6th and 4th.

We don't win the Super Bowl without him. He retired early due to a knee(s) issue. Similar situation to Malcolm Mitchel.

2020
2nd. Kyle Dugger - traded to Steelers for 6th

Dugger was a very good player not long ago. Injuries.

2nd. Joshua Uche - traded to Chiefs for 6th.

He's good when Judon is on the other side.

2021
1st. Mac Jones - traded to Jaguars for 6th.

In hindsight Mac should have been drafted closer to the 3rd

2022
1st. Cole Strange - cut by Patriots.

Another "should have been drafted closer to the 3rd round"...but their were times throughout his career when he was the best OL the Pats had. Injuries.

 

[upstater1]

Not so fun fact: When you look at our 1st and 2nd round picks from 2018 to 2022 they have been almost entirely dumpster fires or cut/traded from the team for scraps.

2018
1st. Isaiah Wynn - Released, 5th year option not picked up.
1st. Sony Michel - traded to Rams for 6th and 4th.
2nd. Duke Dawson - traded to Broncos for 6th.

2019
1st. N'Keal Harry - traded to Bears for 7th.
2nd. Joejuan Williams - placed on IR and released to free agency.

2020
2nd. Kyle Dugger - traded to Steelers for 6th.
2nd. Joshua Uche - traded to Chiefs for 6th.

2021
1st. Mac Jones - traded to Jaguars for 6th.
2nd. Christian Barmore - Still with the team.

2022
1st. Cole Strange - cut by Patriots.
2nd. Tyquan Thornton - cut by Patriots.

So out of these premium picks we went 1/11. Meaning we whiffed 10 times out of 11. That's a more than 90% failure rate. Piss poor drafting for 5 years is what led to 4 win seasons. The talent was all pissed away.

Dugger and Keion White have more to do with the fact of a coaching change and an entirely new scheme.

No need for those Ty Warren, Trey Flowers, Derek Wise DEs anymore.

As for Dugger and the role of box safety, he was fantastic 2 years ago. Just go back and look at his highlight reel. Last year he played on a bum ankle.

This is a common thing that happens with every team when there are coaching/scheme changes. I remember Belichick cutting a light DE who then went onto the Pro Bowl for Tampa in the early years of the dynasty.

I'd also say that we lost players like Lawyer Milloy because of their limitations in the system. And then there was Terry Glenn, who was fantastic under Parcells. Belichick traded him for a 5th round pick to Green Bay.

This is pretty common.

 

[mayoclinic]

Isn't that basically the definition of the 7th round?

Fun factoid: I recently read that no player drafted after Ashby this year has played a single snap for the team that drafted him.

FWIW, the 2026 draft looks like it's going to be another deep one, with potential starters well into the 5th round. It is particularly deep at areas of need like OL and S. So with 7 day 3 picks (2 4ths, 1 5th, 4 6ths) the Pats could trade around and potentially add a number of contributors.

Turning 2 7ths into 2 6ths gives a lot more room to move around - move into the 5th round, trade up in the earlier rounds. 7ths are much less valuable.

Craig Woodson, Josh Farmer, Bradyn Swinson, Andy Borregales, Marcus Bryant. Not bad for day 3 (Swinson turning into a contributor would help). I think we can top that on day 3 of the 2026 draft.

 

[TommyD4207]

Not so fun fact: When you look at our 1st and 2nd round picks from 2018 to 2022 they have been almost entirely dumpster fires or cut/traded from the team for scraps.

2018
1st. Isaiah Wynn - Released, 5th year option not picked up.
1st. Sony Michel - traded to Rams for 6th and 4th.
2nd. Duke Dawson - traded to Broncos for 6th.

2019
1st. N'Keal Harry - traded to Bears for 7th.
2nd. Joejuan Williams - placed on IR and released to free agency.

2020
2nd. Kyle Dugger - traded to Steelers for 6th.
2nd. Joshua Uche - traded to Chiefs for 6th.

2021
1st. Mac Jones - traded to Jaguars for 6th.
2nd. Christian Barmore - Still with the team.

2022
1st. Cole Strange - cut by Patriots.
2nd. Tyquan Thornton - cut by Patriots.

So out of these premium picks we went 1/11. Meaning we whiffed 10 times out of 11. That's a more than 90% failure rate. Piss poor drafting for 5 years is what led to 4 win seasons. The talent was all pissed away.

I do not understand the obsession with the past, I really don't.

Yes, that's how you get 4-win seasons. You nailed it. The Jets and Browns have been doing this for 60 and 30 years.

 

[BobDigital]

It was the best deal they could get. That tells you more about Dugger than the Patriots. May as well get all the bad contracts off the books now that you can. I never understood the Dugger and Onwenu deals.

 

[n1997y]

Grant could be elevated. We signed him last week. Saunders will be added to the 53. Pettus isn't likely to be playing any defensive reps.

I think it’s more likely that Grant is released, not elevated. His career arc is not trending in the right direction.

2021 - drafted in second round by Falcons. Signed four year contract. Spent rookie year as backup.
2022 - starting strong safety
2023 - starter
2024 - beaten out for starting role by veteran Justin Simmons. Played primarily on special teams and rarely on defense.
2025 - signed 1 year contract with SF in March. Released August 28. Signed to Patriots practice squad October 15.

So he lost his job last year, and this year he couldn’t make the Niners roster nor could he get on anybody’s PS until Patriots picked him up two weeks ago.

Patriots probably picked him up for depth getting ready to ship Dugger out the door.

And after seeing him here for two weeks when Dugger’s roster slot opened up reportedly they decided to fill it by signing UDFA rookie John Saunders Jr off Miami’s PS.

I’d say Grant’s only hope is to ball out in practice for the next couple of weeks and show Vrabel & company he’s the man not Saunders. But I’m looking at 2024 and 2025 to date and doubting he can do that.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

I really hate the parody accounts.

I used to not mind them. Then I realized nobody knows what the **** parody is anymore and repeat parody accounts as if they were fact.

 

[Triumph]

6th round picks are the new 2nd round reaches

Reach arounds.

The Steelers will likely be picking in the bottom 3rd of the 2026 draft.

 

[Real fan 02]

dropping his salary is a win.

Pitt will have peppers and Dugger as bench players.. who were starting players here last season.... I believe a bigger move is in place?

 

[Triumph]

That has nothing to do with it.

Duggar was a good player for a bit. He fit BB's mold. He isn't the player he was post injury, and doesn't fit what Vrabel wants.

Vrabel is cleaning house and freeing up cap space. The production of Duggar and White can be replaced by JAGs, and possibly upgraded, if not this year, then next.

Spot on.

Same goes for White who was productive in BBs system with Mayo. Some guys just dont adapt and are resistant to change.

 

[Huckleberry1]

FWIW, the 2026 draft looks like it's going to be another deep one, with potential starters well into the 5th round. It is particularly deep at areas of need like OL and S. So with 7 day 3 picks (2 4ths, 1 5th, 4 6ths) the Pats could trade around and potentially add a number of contributors.

Turning 2 7ths into 2 6ths gives a lot more room to move around - move into the 5th round, trade up in the earlier rounds. 7ths are much less valuable.

Craig Woodson, Josh Farmer, Bradyn Swinson, Andy Borregales, Marcus Bryant. Not bad for day 3 (Swinson turning into a contributor would help). I think we can top that on day 3 of the 2026 draft.

I agree. Once again the top of the Draft doesn't look like it's filled with " must have" players, but the overall draft should be good. However picking last in every round always limits your options.

 

[Miguel]

Isn't that basically the definition of the 7th round?

Fun factoid: I recently read that no player drafted after Ashby this year has played a single snap for the team that drafted him.

Trikwese Bridges has an interceptions and has played in eight Cowboys games.

@Miguel

any insight into the cap aspect of the Dugger & White Trades?

 

[Pape]

Trikwese Bridges has an interceptions and has played in eight Cowboys games.

Thank You!

The dugger trade is some real cap savings... helps clear space next year by moving him out...

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

We save $18M in 2026 and $19M in 2027. For those dollars we can sign a much better player. Think long term.

You have to wonder if Dugger had his ankle operated on quickly in 2024, instead of trying to play on it all year, if his recovery would have been much better. Sometimes players should make business decisions. Playing on a bum ankle all year didn't help anyone.

 

[Ring 6]

White has not shown that.
It’s arguable whether Dugger has shown he can play to the level of his salary, or how well he can play at all. He’s given up some big plays iirc. This looks like a salary dump.

But it wasn’t a salary dump because we ate a large chunk. You cant dump sunk costs