Patriots 2020 free agency: New England set up Joe Thuney for a payday

Joe Thuney is going to get paid — and likely by someone not named Bill Belichck.

The New England Patriots have set up so many players for their big payday. Guard Joe Thuney will follow in the footsteps of defensive end Trey Flowers, tackle Trent Brown, cornerback Malcolm Butler and defensive end Chandler Jones, among others.

The common thread with those players? They all got paid elsewhere.

New England has paid to retain homegrown talents, like guard Shaq Mason, tackle Marcus Cannon, linebacker Dont’a Hightower and safety Devin McCourty. But perhaps Mason’s deal (5-year, $50 million) will make it hard for New England to justify another major investment in the guard position.

Thuney, a third-round pick, played at a Pro Bowl level in 2019, which was roughly on par with his level of play for the better part of his career. He was a day-one starter in New England, and so he has started in three Super Bowls during his four-year career. He excels, in particular, as a pass protector, but the guard is a capable run-blocker. He is just one season removed from helping running back Sony Michel to a postseason with 336 yards and six touchdowns, including the Super Bowl’s only score that year. The Patriots finished that postseason with a win in Super Bowl LIII.

There will be no shortage of interested teams with a willingness to pay for an elite offensive lineman. It’s likely that the Patriots will quickly get priced out for his services. Maybe Thuney doesn’t have a Pro Bowl to his name. Maybe some will credit now-retired offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia for Thuney’s successes. But he’s been as reliable a player as is possible in the NFL, missing just a few snaps over his first four seasons. He’ll be in-demand, which will leave New England to find his replacement in 2020.

If Thuney leaves, they’ll have a few options in-house. The Patriots traded for guard Jermaine Eluemunor last season, though they made little indication they trusted him with playing time. New England also drafted guard Hjalte Froholdt, who suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason. He’ll be in the mix again. And Isaiah Wynn could move inside, if the Patriots find a suitable replacement for him at left tackle (but that will be much harder than finding a left guard). Bill Belichick probably thinks he has the pieces in place to replace Thuney, and with Tom Brady asking for skill players, the Patriots may find themselves spending on a receiver or a tight end, rather than retain their left guard.

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