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Mike Vrabel gives reason for longtime starter's fall on Patriots depth chart

New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel was blunt when asked about veteran safety Kyle Dugger taking reps with the second-team unit.

Dugger has started in 65 games for the Patriots, but rookie Craig Woodson's emergence has made things interesting. This comes a year after Dugger struggled on the field, following a high ankle sprain.

"Just making sure that he's where he needs to be, and understanding the coverage concepts and everything we do -- keep working and keep progressing," Vrabel said on Dugger, via ESPN's Mike Reiss. "A lot of this is the guys that have earned the right to take a look with that first unit.