There was a hole that the Pittsburgh Steelers needed to fill and General Manager Omar Khan wasted no time in doing so. After DeShon Elliott suffered yet another knee injury, the secondary in the Steel City was short of depth, while also missing its most important voice. The safety position in particular needed some help, despite Elliott's injury being labeled as week-to-week. The front office acted fast and reached out to the New England Patriots. A deal came together quickly, and former second-round selection Kyle Dugger will be wearing the black and gold for the remainder of the season.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan looks on as the team sets up in front of fans to workout at the annual Friday Night Lights training camp practice in Latrobe, PA.
Dugger is in his sixth professional season, all of which had been played with New England. He now will embark on a new journey with the Steelers. Not too long ago, he signed a four-year extension worth up to $66 million. The safety put pen to paper in April of 2024, but it simply didn't work out. The new regime for the Patriots is changing up a lot, and Dugger is the most recent example.
Fans in the Steel City might be wondering what kind of financial implications this could have for Pittsburgh. Immediately after the trade, it was clear that there was a work-around in his contract.
Per Over The Cap, Kyle Dugger can be designated as a post-June 1 cut for a $4.5 million dead cap hit, but $12.5 million in cap savings. He's under contract through 2027, but it's not a pain to get out of. Low-risk, high-reward move by the Steelers.
— Parker Abate (@SNParker_) October 28, 2025
Since the deal commenced, however, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that not only is New England picking up the majority of Dugger's 2025 tab, but the Steelers are not tied to him after the season, with the deal being completely wiped out.
More details: The #Patriots are paying most of $5.4M that’s left of Kyle Dugger’s original base of $9.75M (plus $1M in per-game roster bonuses) to complete the deal, source says.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 29, 2025
The final two contract years have been wiped out, source says. He’ll be a free agent after 2025. https://t.co/LnnC8E28WM
This is a huge win for Khan and co. The team gets the depth that it needs at a crucial position, but there is no obligation to move forward with the new addition once the offseason rolls around. This is the definition of a low-risk, high-reward type of move. Dugger is a talented run-stopper that could fill in for Elliott while he is sidelined due to his knee injury.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers safety DeShon Elliott (25) stands on the field as the Pittsburgh goes through a workout during the annual Friday Night Lights practice at 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
There's always a chance that Dugger gets inserted into the lineup and the new change of scenery allows him to blossom once again. The Steelers would then have first dibs on negotiating a potential contract. For now, this should simply be looked at as Khan and co. making a move to help an area that certainly needed it. The fact that the massive contract is not coming along with the safety is incredibly positive for Pittsburgh.
Franchises throughout the NFL go through some interesting scenarios when there is a change of power. Mike Vrabel clearly did not see Dugger in the team's long-term plans, which led to him being dealt. It seems to work out for both parties, and the Steelers only had to give up a sixth-round selection to significantly boost the backend of their defense.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan holds up a phone to his ear as he stands in the team's War Room during the 2025 NFL Draft.
Steelers May Have To Select A Safety Very Early In 2026 NFL Draft
The need for more help on the defensive line, a quarterback and another receiver are as clear as day in Pittsburgh. What some fans may be forgetting about, however, is the need for another safety to pair with Elliott in 2026. Jabrill Peppers, Chuck Clark and Juan Thornhill are all playing on one-year deals. The organization has gotten away with patching together the secondary in recent seasons, but that's not going to work forever.
Do you think that the Steelers made the right move by trading for Dugger? Let us know in the comments below!
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