Patriots' Comments After Franchise-Tagging Joe Thuney Suggests Long-Term Deal is in the Works

The New England Patriots have had one of the more tumultuous offseasons in recent franchise history. With the future plans of Tom Brady still unclear, Patriots fans have felt a sense of uncertainty for the first time in quite a while.

Brady's free agency decision is not the only pressing matter for the Pats front office. Another player that the Patriots have focused on re-signing is offensive lineman Joe Thuney, who had the franchise tag placed on him on Monday. Rumors quickly formed stating Thuney could be dealt in a trade, but the Pats later released a statement which suggests the team is keen on reaching a long-term deal with the star guard.

Rather than placing the tag on Thuney in order to facilitate a trade, it seems the Patriots are utilizing the tag as a means to buy themselves more time to reach a deal that is beneficial to both sides, while also keeping him out of reach from other teams in need of offensive line help. Now, the Patriots will have until July 15 to sign him to an extension prior to the 2020 campaign.

The Patriots clearly want Thuney to be around for a long time, and finding a quality lineman is one of the more difficult tasks in the NFL for a front office.

Of course, in the craziness of an NFL offseason, Thuney could still be used as trade bait in order to land another big-named star, however, with how glowingly the organization speaks of the 27-year-old, it would be a big surprise if he doesn't play for New England in 2020.