The New England Patriots already lost quarterback Tom Brady this offseason. Now, they may be in jeopardy of losing one of their best offensive lineman as well.

The Patriots used their franchise tag on offensive guard Joe Thuney earlier in the offseason, but he might not end up returning to the Patriots at all because the team might trade him away during the 2020 NFL Draft, according to ESPN's reporting.

The two sides "haven't been close to an extension," ESPN reported, and it wouldn't be out of the question for head coach Bill Belichick to seek trade offers for the All-Pro lineman.

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Thuney's future with the Patriots "bears watching during the draft," ESPN added, especially because the team has ranked among the bottom five in terms of current salary cap space and is set to pay Thuney $14.78 million this year.

Thuney "holds notable leverage" in contract talks because of his high cap figure, so "if a guard-needy team is willing to deal a second or high third-rounder to help fill in the Patriots' draft board, that would have to be something Belichick seriously considers," the network reported.

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The Patriots did not have a 2020 second-round pick because they traded it away to the Atlanta Falcons for wide receiver Mohamed Sanu during the 2019 season.

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Thuney, a third-round draft pick in 2016, has been seen as a valuable asset to the Patriots since entering the league.

He became the first player in NFL history to start in three Super Bowls in his first three seasons, and he's never missed a game in over his four-year career.