Kyle Dugger's Former Teammate Highlights 'Freak' Attributes Safety is Bringing to Cincinnati

Former NFL star defensive back and current ESPN analyst Jason McCourty popped on the Bengals Booth Podcast with Dan Hoard this week and dove deep into what one of his former teammates could bring to the Bengals' defensive firepower this season.

McCourty played with new Bengals safety Kyle Dugger in New England during the 2020 season.

Freakshow

An initial touchdown call is overturned after review as New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (23) breaks up a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki (88) in the second quarter of the NFL Week 1 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

McCourty is excited to see how the "physical freak" fits into this new secondary opportunity.

"He's a physical freak, and that was the one thing that was so impressive when he first got there," McCourty said about playing with Dugger. "Big safety can play in the box, but has the range and athleticism in the back end to get sideline to sideline, and I think for Dugger over these last few years, trying to find a fit within different schemes has been a bit of a challenge, and I think for him getting back to the basics, this is a spot where Cincinnati, I think, needed help at the safety position.

"Bryan Cook, a sure tackler, I think he's going to help a ton, especially with leadership in the back end, and you get a guy like Dugger, you have (Jordan) Battle there, Geno Stone struggled a little bit a year ago, so getting other guys in there that not only can play out there but also can force communication throughout that back end. I think Dugger, if he can get back to the player he was, he's a chess piece, not that he has to be a starter there, but if you have a guy that you can play in the box in some of those dime situations, but also a guy that you can play in base at safety, that scheme flexibility goes such a long way."

Dugger has struggled with sub-50 Pro Football Focus grades over the past two seasons and has just two pass breakups in that span (nine in the 2022-23 seasons combined). Still, he could turn things around in the right direction during this upcoming Age-30 season.

He's part of a whole new wave of defenders ready to help support Joe Burrow and the rest of the Bengals on their Super Bowl push. McCourty has taken full notice of the comments from Burrow all offseason.

"I think just as an NFL fan, Joe Burrow is one of the very best players in our league," McCourty told Hoard. "So, hearing his excitement about this Cincinnati team, and I think a lot of analysts are excited about the moves they've made on defense, obviously, the returning stars that they have on the offensive side of the ball, but hearing Joe Burrow be that fired up about this team, just his offseason. He's mentioned the Super Bowl multiple times. He's mentioned winning a ton of games in Cincinnati. I think it goes a long way."

Check out the full conversation with McCourty below:

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