3 New England Patriots players your team should trade for

The Patriots franchise tagged Thuney during the offseason, with rumors they were willing to trade him during April’s draft. The deadline for a multi-year deal came and went in July, so Thuney is playing on the tag and set to hit the open market in March.

Thuney has yet to miss a game, now into his fifth NFL season. He suffered an ankle injury against the 49ers, but it’s being regarded as a minor low ankle sprain and it may not cost him time.

Pro Football Focus ranked Thuney fifth among 86 qualifying guards in 2019, the second straight season he did not give up a sack. He has yet to give up a sack this season, as he continues to commit few penalties and be one of the top guards in the league.

New England will surely not franchise tag Thuney again, and there didn’t seem to be much momentum on a long-term deal before or after he was tagged in March. He should still have a lot of good years left, as he nears his 28th birthday (Nov. 18).

If the Patriots can get a second or third-round pick for him, as was speculated heading into the draft, that might be enough to send Thuney elsewhere before the trade deadline.