PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Mike Tomlin ripped the Browns QB for trading a player within the division, Tuesday the Steelers benefitted from a trade between teams potentially battling to make the playoffs.
Reported by NFL.com among others, New England is trading safety Kyle Dugger and a seventh-round pick to the Steelers for a sixth-round pick.
Earlier on Tuesday, Tomlin said safety DeShon Elliott was week-to-week with a knee injury, but it’s the second safety the team added within hours of those words. Reportedly former Washington safety Darrick Forrest had agreed to join the Steelers practice squad.
The 6’1”, 216-pound Dugger had fallen out of favor a bit with new Pats head coach Mike Vrabel. After starting every game healthy over the last three years, Dugger only started four of seven games with New England this year and went from playing 98% of the snaps in 2023 to 44% this year. The 29-year-old only has 17 tackles (seven solo) and no other impact plays (no picks, TFL, QB hits, pass breakups). In his career, 81 games, nine interceptions, 441 tackles (296 solo).
He is ranked 62nd best safety this year according to Pro Football Focus. That is behind Elliott and Chuck Clark, but ahead of Juan Thornhill. The only other Steelers safety currently on the active roster is Jabrill Peppers.