The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking for some sort of reprieve defensively after making a bargain of a trade to acquire safety Kyle Dugger from the New England Patriots. This came after it was announced that starting safety DeShon Elliott would be put on Injured Reserve (IR) for a hyperextended knee. Of course, Dugger won't be able to single-handedly fix all the problems Pittsburgh has on defense, but any sort of extra help will be welcomed. We will see exactly how well and how often he will be on the field in his team debut on Sunday.
michael Ainsworth / ap photo
Former New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger gets ready for a snap as he participates in a professional football game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA.
During his first media availability in Pittsburgh, Dugger was asked about how well he can hop on the moving train after coming over via trade.
"If I'm asked to play, I'm going to be ready," Dugger said.
Even though the trade was announced on Tuesday night, it could not be finalized and made official until Thursday, so Dugger could not get a full week of work with his new team. Dugger will have to show a lot on Friday to be able to convince the coaching staff that he is capable of playing on such short notice.
Dugger was also asked about his specialty being stopping the run, to which he just said, "Yes, yes it is." With that, combined with Head Coach Mike Tomlin's constant desire to stop the run first, it would not be surprising to see him on the field for first downs and other highly likely run-down situations. The new #29 could be on the field a little more than expected.
The Boston Globe
Kyle Dugger gets ready to make a play during his time with the New England Patriots.
However, Tomlin's scheme has been known to be tough to learn for newcomers. In highly likely passing situations, that is when Dugger would likely get pulled for one of the depth pieces. That late start to the week did not help matters at all. Unless the coverage call is very simple, he may not see the field at all for 2nd and 3rd & long situations.
Of course, the Steelers love their special teams, and Dugger has been a contributor in that regard with the Patriots in 2025. Tomlin will have no issue with adding him to the unit, especially with how many special teamers are injured, including captain Miles Killebrew. The key to getting on the field on offense or defense for many players in Pittsburgh is to do well in the third phase. Dugger will be expected to shine there.
Steelers Have Unusual Way To Help Dugger Get Acclimated To New Defense
Dugger is not the first Patriot safety to join the Steelers after the season began. He and Jabrill Peppers had great chemistry together, and hopefully that will now translate over to Pittsburgh. At the very least, Peppers can show his old teammate how everything works. He may not be a veteran of the team, but he is likely the best candidate for explaining things in ways that his teammate can understand.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Jabrill Peppers recovers a fumble against the New England Patriots in Week 3, 2025 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Peppers was also brought in when Elliott got injured the first time, and he was tasked with helping to stop the run as well. In Week 3 against the Patriots, that was exactly what he did. In a wild game, he was one of the more consistent players on the team in that contest, and he even recovered a fumble to go along with six tackles. That alone was worth the signing, even if his snap count has decreased drastically since then.
The Indianapolis Colts may have arguably the best running back in the NFL, and recent weeks have shown that the Steelers are not great at stopping the run. That's why they signed Peppers and traded for Dugger. Hopefully, that duo can step up to limit Jonathan Taylor and give this team a chance to upset the top squad in the league.
What do you think about Dugger's projected playing time in his Steelers debut? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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