Bengels Look To Improve Secenday With Signing Of Kyle Dugger

The Cincinnati Bengals plan to sign safety Kyle Dugger to a one-year contract. 

The financial details of the contract have not been revealed yet. Dugger played with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season.

Dugger was traded from the New England Patriots to the Steelers during the 2025 season. He started four games with the Patriots and nine with the Steelers. 

The Patriots selected Dugger in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Originally, he was a general defensive back. In his second season, he had 92 tackles. In 2023, he had a career-best 109 tackles. 

This was the last season of Dugger’s rookie contract. The Patriots placed a transition tag on him and eventually signed him to a four-year, $58 million contract. However, the Steelers voided the final two seasons of this contract. The Steelers saved $22 million while taking on zero dead cap. 

Dugger started the season slowly with the Patriots. Defensive coordinator Terrell Williams used him in a reduced role compared to his career. Once he was traded to the Steelers, he found some consistency. Although defensive coordinator Teryl Austin gets criticism for his usage of the secondary, Dugger found a role in the system.

Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden runs a scheme that prioritizes versatility. Safeties and linebackers are expected to be able to do everything on a football field. Since Dugger started his career as a general defensive back, this scheme could be a very good fit for him. 

The Bengals ranked No. 30 in defense in 2025. In recent years, the Bengals have struggled to find consistent producers in the secondary. However, even their pass rush dipped in 2025. 

NFL training camps will begin in July. Dugger will compete with Bryan Cook and Jordan Battle for playing time at the safety spot. Cook is a two-time Super Bowl champion and is coming off his best season.