The 2026 NFL Draft is here, where all the picks traded in the years leading up to it finally turn from numbers into actual football players. With that in mind, we’ll be taking a look at what some of those trades look like now with the added context.
This time, we’ll be looking at the Steelers-Patriots trade from October 2025.
Original terms of the Kyle Dugger trade between Steelers and Patriots
- Steelers receive: Safety Kyle Dugger, 2026 seventh-round pick
- Patriots receive: 2026 sixth-round pick
What did the Steelers do with the pick from the Kyle Dugger trade?
With the eighth pick of the seventh round in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Steelers selected safety Robert Spears-Jennings.
How was Kyle Dugger’s performance for the Steelers in 2025?
The Steelers made a midseason trade for Dugger after starting
strong safety DeShon Elliott suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 8. The trade was a low-stakes, Day 3 pick swap for Pittsburgh – New England paid most of Dugger’s remaining salary, and the safety’s contract was amended to allow him to hit free agency in 2026.
Through nine games with the Steelers in 2025, Dugger logged 42 total tackles, five passes defensed, two interceptions, and once sack. While he certainly made some plays, his fluidity still was clearly a notch below what it was at the beginning of his career.
Dugger was a strong run-defending force, but he was a contributor to some of the team’s pass-coverage woes later in the season. However, for a cheap band-aid after the Steelers needed midseason secondary help, he filled the role respectably.
Dugger ended up signing with the Cincinnati Bengals during 2026 free agency on a one-year deal.
What did the Patriots do with the picks from the Kyle Dugger trade?
The Patriots used the sixth-round pick as part of the package to move up and select Illinois pass rusher Gabe Jacas.
