FOXBOROUGH – Now one of the longest tenured Patriots players, Kyle Dugger is the guy other younger players are now looking to heading into 2025.

It’s a strange spot for him to be in, but he’s embracing the new leadership opportunity under Mike Vrabel. Dugger spoke for about 10 minutes on Tuesday and appeared to be in a positive mindset after a tough, injury-plagued season last year.

Now entering his sixth season after getting his first big pay day last April with a four-year extension, Dugger is unquestionably going to have to be a star – or at least a standout player – on a defense full of very talented guys. The injury is behind him and hopefully, not to be spoken of much more.

“I’m really looking forward to this upcoming season,” Dugger said. “I’m not really looking back to last year. Kind of put it in the back of my mind and really just looking forward to moving on…it (the ankle recovery) is doing well.”

As far as being one of the longest tenured guys on the team now, Dugger says he’s gotten chirped a bit by some of his teammates.

“Yeah, they’ve been telling me,” he said with a wry smile. “It happened fast, I would say. It’s been…from my rookie year to now, it’s been a flash. It’s really good…it makes me feel good, just to be with the organization for that long. It just lets me know that as a leader, my role, just kind of setting things, being here with the organization, it’s important.”

Does it change the way he approaches his day-to-day routine or leadership style?

“Nah, it don’t change much for me,” Dugger added. “It don’t really change much for me at all. I still have a job and a standard to uphold. Learning this (defense), I have to really be open and make sure (I’m) aware and locked in on everything.”

While it’s sort of implied that Dugger will need to take on a bigger leadership role this season, he was asked if there’s any other guys emerging during the ‘get to know you’ stage of the offseason workouts.

“I would say yes, but I wouldn’t get into specifics of certain individuals,” he said. “I think right now, everybody’s kind of expected to carry themselves like a leader and that’s what it should be. So, I would say yeah, but can’t really get into specifics or like, certain guys, but it’s definitely a point of emphasis.”

Dugger was also asked if behind the scenes Vrabel’s imprint is already evident.

“I would say yes. He’s definitely put his imprint on the program,” Dugger said. “Like I said earlier, he’s really honing in on connecting and learning us as individuals and setting that foundation on and off the field.”

One of the other key words thrown around a lot so far this offseason when it comes to the defense has been ‘violent,’ playing violent. It might be Dugger’s favorite thing he’s heard so far under the new regime.

“I would say that’s what I want to do as well,” he said with a chuckle. “I want to do that. I would say we aligning that way. I want to be violent and aggressive, just like they want to be. So, I would say that fits my play style pretty good.”

A violent, aggressive, leading-by example Dugger is the best Dugger. If he stays healthy and puts those things together, it should have a huge impact on how good or great this defense can be.