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The New England Patriots will place the franchise tag on LG Joe Thuney, ESPN’s Field Yates reported Monday morning. Thuney has started every regular-season game for the Patriots since joining the team in 2016. He was selected in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of North Carolina State.
Thuney ranked 10th in pass blocking efficiency at Pro Football Focus. PFF graded him the third best pass blocking guard and the 15th best run blocking guard. He earned second team All Pro honors in 2019.
The franchise tag salary for offensive linemen is expected to be just under $16 million. The tender salary for offensive linemen is not broken up by position, but rather applies to all of the centers, guards, and tackles.