The New England Patriots placed the franchise tag on guard Joe Thuney in 2020, but they will not be doing the same in 2021, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Thuney will not receive the tag, and is likely to enter free agency.
He will be one of the top offensive linemen on the market, and will likely be the most sought-after guard. The only problem for Thuney is that many NFL teams are strapped for cash in an offseason where the salary cap is likely to go down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s the only thing that would interfere with Thuney being the highest-paid guard in the NFL when he signs a new deal.
Patriots are not expected to use their franchise tag on OG Joe Thuney as they did last year, per sources. Thuney likely headed to the free-agent market.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2021
The Patriots guards for 2021 include Shaq Mason, Michael Onewnu, Justin Herron. If Thuney were to depart, Onwenu would likely take over at left guard. But that may not plug all the holes. The Patriots’ starting center, David Andrews, is also a pending free agent.
The news on Thuney comes on the same day that the Patriots agreed to terms on a trade for tackle Trent Brown.
