The Bengals added to their secondary depth Thursday with two veterans who have a combined 90 starts in safety Kyle Dugger and nickel cornerback Ja'Sir Taylor.
Dugger has the bulk of them with 78, the last nine coming in 2025 with the Steelers after being traded from New England in mid-season. Taylor, 27, heading into his fifth season, was also moved in the middle of the year when the Chargers sent him to the Jets, and he played 121 snaps after taking just 16 plays in Los Angeles.
The 5-10, 185-pound Taylor, a sixth-round pick out of Wake Forest, figures to compete with Jalen Davis in the slot, as well as get some work on special teams, where he has more than 1,100 career snaps.
Dugger turned 30 last week and is another vet move for a team that on the first day of free agency agreed to terms with Bryan Cook, the class' top safety, and paired him with veteran incumbent Jordan Battle.
Dugger, more of a strong safety who was a reliable tackler in Bill Belichick's box in New England after they took him with the 37th pick in the 2020 draft, plays a physical brand of ball with 11 career interceptions and is a complement to the versatility of Cook and Battle. Just what the doctor ordered. An experienced and sure-tackling safety. According to Pro Football Reference, Dugger missed three tackles last year while on the field for more than 700 plays.
"He's been on some great defenses and gives us veteran leadership and good competition," said safeties coach Jordan Kovacs. "He knows what it's supposed to look like."
Dugger, a former Patriot captain who has played for Bill Belichick and Mike Tomlin, starts his seventh season with a re-boot after 13 starts with two different playoff teams last year and brings the type of leadership they're looking for on defense.
"Fresh start and a new opportunity. I'm excited for it," Dugger said Thursday after his Paycor Stadium visit culminated in a contract. "It's been a rough two years. I'm thankful where I am."
Bengals' fans know Dugger for his pick-six of quarterback Joe Flacco in Pittsburgh during his third game as a Steeler. The 73-yard killer came with Flacco driving the Bengals to the Steelers 35 facing a third-and-nine and Pittsburgh clinging to a 13-9 lead in the third quarter.
It changed the game for good. It's also the type of heady play that makes Dugger attractive to the Bengals.
"I had coverage on the tight end (Drew Sample) in the backfield. Because he was protecting, I basically just freed myself up and read the quarterback," Dugger said. "It was just man-to-man coverage. It's one of those feel things. Knowing where my guy was and what he was doing and how that freed me up."
With the Steelers bringing five rushers and Sample staying in to help, Dugger dropped into the middle of the field, and Flacco had to get it out under duress. It went to the roaming Dugger in front of wide receiver Tee Higgins, and he took it for his third career pick-six.
"Those things you really can't coach," Kovacs said. "They're just good football players who have experience. That's what this guy is. He'll push those guys as he carves a role."
It was the highlight of a tough 2025. With the Patriots unloading Jerod Mayo defenders from a scheme where Dugger's style didn't seem to fit Mike Vrabel's zone, he was traded to another team making a run to the playoffs.
Dugger started all nine games there as the Steelers won the AFC North, and although he didn't start the Wild Card loss, he played nearly 50% of the snaps.
Dugger hasn't really been right physically for two seasons. He injured his ankle while blocking a field goal early in the 2024 season. After missing the next three games, Dugger played hurt the rest of the way and didn't realize until the end of the year that he needed extensive "tight rope surgery."
That pretty much limited him until training camp.
"With an offseason now, I feel 100%," Dugger said.
Cincinnati made him feel good enough to sign. Especially Paycor.
"Just the feel. Coming into the facility. Even the city. Very peaceful, very chill. Kind of that worker's vibe which I really like," Dugger said. "And the facility was plenty. It was a lot, and the overall fit as well."
Dugger doesn't know many Bengals, but he knows plenty about their offense. He's played against quarterback Joe Burrow three times and played with center and captain Ted Karras for a year in New England.
"Their offense is the first thing that comes to mind," Dugger said. "Joe Burrow and I were in the same draft class and I've seen the things he's done. He's one of the best quarterbacks I've played against and their offense is one of the, if not, the most talented in the league.
"Just the potential to win a lot games and play at a high level as a team. That's what I know."
