Might the Miami Dolphins poach another player from the New England Patriots this offseason?
Joe Thuney reportedly isn't close to a contract extension with the Patriots after signing his franchise tender, fueling speculation that New England may trade the offensive guard to free up cap space.
The Patriots could have a suitor in the AFC East rival Miami Dolphins, according to the Miami Herald's Armando Salguero, who reported Wednesday a trade for Thuney at the 2020 NFL Draft "was given consideration" by the Dolphins.
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"The idea of signing Thuney is something the Dolphins actually wanted to do before free agency," Salguero added. "And when Thuney was franchised by the Patriots in March, the possibility of trading for him was also discussed."
Salguero proposed in a recent NFL mock draft that the Dolphins acquire Thuney and the No. 23 overall pick from the Patriots in exchange for Miami's first-round (No. 26), second-round (No. 39) and third-round (No. 70) selections in 2020.
That'd be a major blockbuster, and it's still unclear what Miami would give up in a trade for Thuney. But the Dolphins seemingly covet the 27-year-old guard after his second-team All-Pro campaign in 2019.
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Thuney would see plenty of familiar faces in Miami, where former New England assistant and Dolphins head coach Brian Flores brought in ex-Patriots center Ted Karras and ex-Pats linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Elandon Roberts via free agency this offseason.
Moving Thuney also would create roughly $14 million in cap space for the Patriots, who enter the draft with the least cap room of any NFL team at about $1 million.
So, could Thuney be playing in the AFC East for a different team this season? We may find out as soon as Thursday night when the NFL Draft kicks off.