Patriots Trade Dugger, Send Keion White; Sign Saunders

New England traded safety Kyle Dugger and a 2026 seventh‑round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2026 sixth‑round pick, and separately sent edge rusher Keion White to the San Francisco 49ers for a sixth‑round selection. Dugger, who signed a four‑year, $58 million extension in 2024 and has 69 career starts, 441 tackles and nine interceptions, had seen his defensive snaps reduced under new coach Mike Vrabel before the move. Pittsburgh, facing injuries in its secondary and one of the NFL's worst pass defenses, acquired Dugger to help near the line of scrimmage and on special teams. New England plans to sign rookie safety John Saunders Jr. off the Miami Dolphins' practice squad to fill Dugger's roster spot and still has one open slot that could be used for running back Terrell Jennings. The flurry of deals underscores the Patriots' roster turnover as the team readies for Week 9 and the Nov. 4 trade deadline.