NFL Analyst Believes This Patriots Star Is ‘Overrated’ Free Agent

At least one New England Patriots free agent is considered “overrated.” Sam Monson from Pro Football Focus says the Patriots guard may not be worth the money.

Thuney played under the terms of the franchise tag this past season. He will probably leave the Patriots in free agency. New England has enough cap space to get the veteran. However, the Patriots have several other needs to address. They may not be interested in giving Thuney a long-term deal.

Monson said other NFL teams should be wary about giving a big deal to the guard. In his column for ESPN.com, Monson listed the most overrated and the most underrated impending free agent at each position. According to him, Thuney is the most overrated offensive lineman.

“Thuney is likely to be one of the most coveted linemen available this offseason, given the profusion of lineman-needy teams. But while he is undoubtedly a very good player, it’s fair to ask whether he is a great one,” Monson wrote. “Thuney has never broken a PFF grade of 80.0 for a single season, coming closest in 2019.

“His run blocking has typically been solid but unspectacular, and while his pass-blocking grades had been approaching elite levels, he dropped back down to 73.1 in 2020, allowing 17 total pressures and two sacks on the season. Thuney has an extremely high floor for any prospective team, but he could earn monster money on the open market, which is hard to justify given his career thus far.”

Patriots to eliminate their impending free agent

Thuney may not post great numbers when it comes to advanced metrics. He is probably one of the most surehanded interior O-lineman in football. In 2016, Thuney was rarely exposed. He has yet to miss a regular-season game.

Thuney may get a big deal, but the same applies to pretty much every player in the NFL. Teams who are trying to boost their offense should “kick the tires” on the guard.

Let’s see how will the Patriots handle the upcoming season. They have several major decisions to make.