When Mike Tomlin noted that DeShon Elliott was listed as week-to-week with a hyperextended knee, we weren't surprised to see the Pittsburgh Steelers go out and add a safety. However, much of the fan base had a hard time making sense of trading for Kyle Dugger.
Dugger, a former second-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2020, was having a down season in 2025 and saw his role reduced to a part-time rotation at safety. Instead of signing a player on the market—like Justin Simmons, Eddie Jackson, or Vonn Bell—the Steelers traded a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft for Dugger and a seventh-rounder.