NFL free agency will pick up steam next week with the start of the so-called legal tampering period. However, one big deadline is already coming up on Tuesday: by 4 p.m. ET, teams will have to decide whether to use the franchise tag or not.
The New England Patriots are one of the teams to keep a close eye on in that regard. Among their 16 unrestricted free agents-to-be are two realistic candidates to receive the tag before Tuesday’s deadline, safety Kyle Dugger and offensive lineman Michael Onwenu.
Dugger and Onwenu both arrived in New England as part of the team’s 2020 draft class, and have become valuable players at their respective positions.