The New England Patriots are using their transition tag to retain one of their key defensive starters, keeping him from becoming a free agent.
According to a source, the Patriots are placing the transition tag on pending free agent safety Kyle Dugger.
The transition tag is similar to the franchise tag. It’s a one-year deal that is for the average of the top 10 salaries at the position (vs. top-5 for the franchise tag). By applying the tag, the Patriots have the right to match any offer another team wants to give Dugger.