The Patriots traded veteran safety Kyle Dugger to the Steelers, sources confirmed to the Herald.

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Multiple outlets report the Patriots sent Dugger and a 2026 seventh-round pick to Pittsburgh for a 2026 sixth-round pick.

This trade mirrors the same return the Pats received for shipping defensive lineman Keion White to San Francisco less than an hour before it was reported.

Unlike White, Dugger has been on the trade block for months. The 29-year-old endured a setback in his recovery from offseason surgery that addressed an ankle injury he played through last year and never returned to form. Dugger tumbled down the depth chart this summer in his first training camp under Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, whose defensive system differed greatly from those Dugger thrived in playing under Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo.

Poor scheme fit and a lack of burst ultimately ended the 6-foot-1, 216-pounder’s time in New England, which began when he was selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Division II Lenoir-Rhyne. He started seven of 14 games as a rookie, then 45 of 47 games the next three seasons. Dugger enjoyed a Pro Bowl-caliber campaign in 2022 with 78 tackles, three interceptions, a sack, one forced fumble and two defensive touchdowns.

Dugger was once viewed as a pillar of the Patriots’ defense, which led to the four-year, $58 million deal he signed in the spring of 2024. The contract came at the end of a brief stand-off with the Eliot Wolf-led front office, which applied the transition tag to keep Dugger from hitting unrestricted free agency. Shortly after reaching terms, he disappointed in an injury-riddled season, tallying 81 tackles, one sack and just four pass deflections over 13 games while battling a misdiagnosed high ankle sprain.

Dugger finished his last Patriots season with 17 tackles in seven game appearances. Sources said he and the Patriots were both surprised he remained on the roster through cutdown day last August, when the front office was engaged in potential trade talks with other teams. His sizable contract — and specifically how much money the Patriots would eat in a deal — proved to be a road block in negotiations.

Dugger had been the team’s third safety behind rookie Craig Woodson and veteran Jaylinn Hawkins. The Patriots also have second-year backup Dell Pettus and core special teamer Brenden Schooler on their depth chart, with veteran Richie Grant on the practice squad.