The Pittsburgh Steelers are making some big changes to new safety Kyle Dugger’s contract and the Patriots are taking on much of the remaining contract.

While the Steelers traded a sixth-round pick and got back a seventh-round pick, they also will not have to pay Dugger much at all.

Dugger’s base salary of $9.75 million will be picked up significantly by the Patriots with $5.4 million staying on their payroll, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. In addition to that, the final two years of Dugger’s contract, which would have under contract through 2027, are being wiped out, and the Steelers will just have him on the tab for this season.

Dugger will become a free agent at season’s end and could cash in with a strong stretch run. It will also make him eligible for compensatory picks on the other side of that coin.

He has 69 career starts and has played in 81 games as the dimebacker and strong safety. Dugger, 29, now comes in as the likely replacement for DeShon Elliott moving forward. He has not registered an interception over the last two seasons but has been a force in the run game.

Dugger has played in seven games this season, posting 17 tackles. The Steelers will utilize him in a similar role to Elliott, though it is unknown how that will affect the free safety position and who will slot in there moving forward.

Dugger is 6-foot-1, 210 pounds and ran a 4.49 40-yard dash coming out of Lenoir-Rhyne in North Carolina back in 2020. He played in just 39 percent of the Patriots’ defensive snaps this year, but also brings special teams value to the table for the Steelers.

The over/under is set at 50.5 on BetMGM for Sunday’s game between the Steelers and the Colts. Our comprehensive BetMGM Sportsbook review provides a guide on how to use their platform. For all of the best Steelers Week 9 odds, be sure to check out our expert insights.

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