The Pittsburgh Steelers face a radically different challenge this Sunday. Safety Kyle Dugger will miss the matchup against the Baltimore Ravens with a hand injury. Dugger, who has been a key player in the Steelers’ defense, sustained the injury earlier in the week, and his absence is expected to impact the team’s performance.
Dugger’s arrival, to the Steelers at least, came in a flurry of last-minute moves right before the trade deadline. He was instrumental in their stunning upset win over the Indianapolis Colts on November 2. Since then, he’s started all five games as the undisputed starter next to senior safety Jalen Ramsey. His contributions have been impressive, as he has tallied one interception, four passes defensed and 23 combined tackles this year.
The injury appeared out of nowhere on Thursday when Dugger popped up on the practice report with a hand concern. He then missed practice on both Thursday and Friday, putting his status for this week’s game in serious jeopardy. The Steelers coaching staff confirmed his unavailability for the Ravens game, leaving the team to strategize without one of their starting safeties.
Dugger’s journey to the Steelers began when he was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. His move to Pittsburgh has been anything but rocky, as he’s made a seamless transition into a shutdown third-pair role. Now his current hand injury has him sidelined. This adjustment is key for the Steelers, as they will need to move cornerback Patrick Peterson onto his typical side on defense.
As the Steelers get ready to face the Ravens, they ought to be more concerned with losing their competitive edge in spite of this injury. The team’s overall defensive strategy will almost certainly need some recalibrating, especially in the secondary, where Dugger’s athleticism and versatility have been indispensable.
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