The buzz surrounding a potential Joe Thuney trade effectively vanquished after the 2020 NFL Draft came and went.
Perhaps it will soon pick back up.
The Philadelphia Eagles suddenly are in need of interior offensive line help after Brandon Brooks suffered a torn Achilles injury, which will keep the Pro Bowl right guard sidelined for the entire 2020 season. While the Eagles very well could choose an in-house replacement for Brooks, NFL writer Albert Breer would not be surprised if they looked into a deal for Thuney.
“…The way Howie Roseman’s built the team, and this is deeply embedded in his beliefs on how to do that, its strength is along the lines of scrimmage,” Breer wrote in his latest weekly mailbag for Sports Illustrated. “So taking a guy who may have been the best guard in football out of the equation doesn’t help. And I don’t think if they get through a couple weeks of camp, and (Matt) Pryor, (Nate) Herbig and (Jack) Driscoll aren’t where they should be, that Roseman will hesitate to pick up the phone.
“Would they take a big swing on someone like New England’s franchise-tagged All-Pro guard, Joe Thuney? Based on what I know … I think they’d at least explore it. But, again, that’s probably more of a down-the-road contingency thing for now.”
Many thought Thuney would be moved by the Patriots earlier in the offseason given their financial situation. New England could free up nearly $15 million by trading Thuney, who was issued the franchise tag by the team at the turn of the new league year. The 2019 second-team All-Pro will play under the tag this season unless he and the Patriots come to an agreement on a long-term contract extension by the July 15 deadline.
One has to imagine New England would like to hang on to Thuney, especially considering second-year pro Jarrett Stidham could use all the help he can get. But if the Eagles grow desperate and overwhelm the Patriots with an offer, perhaps it’s something they should consider.
