Overpaid Patriot Robbed the Team Blind With 2024 Performance

Not too many things went according to plan in Foxborough during the 2024 season. The offense was a mess, the defense was ravaged by injuries and took a significant step back, and the overall locker room atmosphere left plenty to be desired. All of this resulted in the premature firing of Jerod Mayo.

As the Patriots are desperately looking for their new head coach, it's important to be introspective about what went wrong in the 4-13 season. When making roster decisions, New England has to make note of underperforming and overpaid players going forward.

For the 2024 Patriots, that conversation has to start with Kyle Dugger. The 28-year-old safety started 13 games for New England this season and played almost every defensive snap he was available for. Yet, he was one of the most disappointing defenders in the entire league.

Dugger allowed a 78.3% completion rate when targeted and a 141.3 passer rating in coverage per Pro Football Focus. He had a career-high 13 missed tackles while giving up a career-most six touchdowns. As a result, he received a miserable 44.3 defensive grade on PFF, placing him 96th among 98 safeties in the league.

This came on the heels of a massive contract extension in the offseason. After placing the transition tag on Dugger, the Patriots signed the former second-round pick to a four-year, $58 million contract extension. The deal includes over $32 million in guaranteed salary.

For the 2025, Dugger has the second-highest cap number on the team behind Mike Onwenu. This makes him almost impossible to cut in the offseason. The Patriots have no choice but to hope Dugger plays better going forward. For a backfield defender who will be 29 before next season, however, the chances of him being one of the most overpaid players on the roster are far more likely than a bounce-back season.

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