The Pittsburgh Steelers suffered a major blow on Sunday night when they lost starting safety and leader DeShon Elliott to a knee injury. With Elliott being lost for an unknown amount of time, the team didn't waste any time exploring the market to add to their secondary. The team brought in veterans Von Bell, Darrick Forrest and Eddie Jackson for a visit and eventually signed Forrest to the practice squad.
Jessica Rapfogel / USA TODAY Sports
Steelers' Darrick Forrest during his time with the Washington Commanders during a road game in Baltimore.
Now, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, the team is trading for New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger. The Steelers are dealing a sixth-round pick to the Patriots for Dugger and a seventh-round pick. Both picks will be from the 2026 NFL Draft.
Trade! The Patriots are sending safety Kyle Dugger to the Steelers, per sources.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 28, 2025
New England gets a 2026 sixth-round pick for a 2026 seventh and Dugger, who had lost his starting role. Now, a new opportunity in Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/F35yfsf09e
Dugger and the Patriots have had a rocky relationship this season with Dugger on the trade market during the preseason. The Patriots couldn't find any suitors until now. Dugger has 69 starts during his six seasons with the Patriots and has recorded nine interceptions. This past weekend, Dugger popped up on the Patriots' injury report with a knee injury. He was initially ruled as questionable, but ended up being inactive for the Patriots' home game against the Browns.
Via Lenoir Rhyne University
Dugger, 29, signed a four-year, $58 million contract extension with the Patriots prior to the 2024 season leaving him with two years left on that deal after this season is over. His cap hits for 2026 and 2027 would be $17 million and $18 million respectively. According to our own Parker Abate, the Steelers do have an out with Dugger after this season if things don't go well the rest of the season.
Per Over The Cap, Kyle Dugger can be designated as a post-June 1 cut for a $4.5 million dead cap hit, but $12.5 million in cap savings. He's under contract through 2027, but it's not a pain to get out of. Low-risk, high-reward move by the Steelers.
— Parker Abate (@SNParker_) October 28, 2025
Steelers Trade Deadline Plans Exposed
Ray Fittipaldo from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said Tuesday that he believed that the team would likely stand pat at the trade deadline with the current trajectory of the team. However, that quickly turned after this move. While the compensation to the Patriots isn't extreme, it shows that the Steelers don't believe they're done, despite two losses in a row.
"It would make zero sense to add through trades with the Steelers playing like this," Fittipaldo noted. "But the Steelers won't hold a fire sale either. They're not the Browns."
They're certainly not the Browns and with quarterback Aaron Rodgers potentially in the last year of his Hall of Fame career, it doesn't appear like the team is going to abandon ship on him. That means that the likelihood of them making another trade to land another offensive playmaker is still on the table before next week's trade deadline.
Pittsburgh has recently been connected to Las Vegas Raiders receiver Jakobi Meyers, and New Orleans Saints receiver Chris Olave. Meyers requested a trade from the Raiders prior to the regular season starting and would fit perfectly in Pittsburgh's offense next to receiver DK Metcalf.
More to come.
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