The New England Patriots seemingly had an opportunity to acquire one of the league’s top offensive linemen to kick off this year’s offseason festivities with a bang –– though they ultimately decided to pass on making the move
According to NBC Sports Boston insider Albert Breer, the Patriots supposedly “checked in” on a potential trade for recently-moved Kansas City Chiefs guard Joe Thuney, but decided not to meet the asking price in a deal.
Yes, they talked to the Chiefs about Joe Thuney,” Breer said. “Obviously, they wouldn’t meet their price, which seems a little crazy given their offensive line issues… I would have some questions if it were this year’s fourth-round pick. They’ve only got eight picks, they’ve got a ton of needs they need to take care of, and they need to draft well, and they need that margin of error. But, I am a little surprised they weren’t willing to go to that price of a 2026 fourth-round pick.”
In the end, Thuney was dealt to the Chicago Bears in exchange for their 2026 fourth-rounder, providing a massive upgrade to their struggling offensive line. Meanwhile, the Patriots were unwilling to match that offer, and will still be scavenging the market for their answers upfront.
New England had no shortage of offensive line troubles through last season, lacking talent around the line, and suffering from injuries to guys like Cole Strange and David Andrews throughout the year –– leading to becoming one of the most-sacked and bottom-ranked units in the league. Changes will be on the way, but they likely won’t be coming from the Chiefs.
Thanks to the Patriots’ $125 million open in cap space for free agency, there’s immense opportunity for New England to spend big and make the necessary improvements ahead of the 2025 campaign, but it remains to be seen how strong the talent is that hits the market.
The Patriots will get their negotiations rolling when the window for free agency talks opens across the league at noon ET on Monday, March 10th.