Elise Amendola/Associated Press
The New England Patriots used their franchise tag on offensive lineman Joe Thuney on March 16.
"Joe has been a model teammate and an essential element to our success since joining our team in 2016. Utilizing the franchise designation allows both sides more time to try to reach the goal of a long-term agreement," the team announced in a statement accompanying the move.
However, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss on Sunday, that long-term goal is proving perhaps more difficult than initially expected:
"Thuney's future with the franchise bears watching during the draft.