Patriots Franchise Former State Star Thuney

Offensive guard Joe Thuney was projected to be one of the most sought-after offensive linemen on the NFL free agent market, but that won't happen now that the New England Patriots have put the franchise tag on the former NC State star

Former NC State star Joe Thuney was expected to be one of the most sought-after players on the NFL free agent market this offseason.

But that won't happen now that the New England Patriots have designated the offensive guard with the franchise tag.

The franchise designation is a device teams are able to use to protect a player scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. The tag binds the player to the team for one year if certain conditions are met.

Franchising Thuney could potentially be an indication that the Patriots plan to re-sign 43-year-old quarterback Tom Brady and are taking steps to keep a strong offensive line in front of him. 

The team could also decide to trade Thuney in exchange for multiple high-round draft picks or use the extra time to negotiate with him on a long-term deal. According to Jim McBride of the Boston Globe, "last year's (franchise) tag for guards was just north of $14 million."

The Patriots issued the following statement on Thuney upon designating him as their franchise player:

“Joe has been a model teammate and an essential element to our success since joining our team in 2016. Utilizing the franchise designation allows both sides more time to try to reach the goal of a long-term agreement.”

Thuney has earned two Super Bowl rings with the Patriots and his three Super Bowl appearances is second only to Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Jim Ritcher among Wolfpack alumni.

The 2016 third-round draft pick is coming off his best season as a pro, ranking fifth overall among NFL offensive guards and No. 3 in the league in pass protection -- allowing only 16 pressures in over 300 attempts in 2019.