Tyquan Thornton looks to be making his comeback from injury for the New England Patriots. The 50th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft came out of Baylor as a promising addition to the Patriots’ lack of downfield threat on the offensive side of the ball. However, the All-Big 12 Second Team wide receiver has been nursing a collarbone injury that he picked up in August. According to Scott Zolak of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Thornton is “getting back to normal,” and “close” to a return. The rookie is eligible to come off of IR this week, so what could he bring to the table for the Patriots?
Just What the Doctor Ordered?
For the past few seasons, the Patriots lack of a deep threat down the field has been evident. The acquisition of Josh Gordon in 2018 was a brief moment of hope to resolve this issue. Unfortunately, the veteran wide receiver was cut halfway through the season due to a knee injury. Signing DeVante Parker over Free Agency has added some depth in the wide receivers’ room. However, Thornton was drafted with the intention he could blossom into just what the Patriots needed.
In his senior year at Baylor, Thornton had 62 receptions for 948 yards and ten touchdowns. The 22-year-old is considered to be one of the most explosive wideouts from his draft class. The rookie clocked in a blistering 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Draft Combine. This all comes with Thornton having a 6’7” wingspan, and while standing at 6’2” he could pull off some spectacular catches in a Patriots uniform.
Yet, the lengthy and speedy rookie has had some concerns regarding his profile. His smaller-sized hands were a notable knock on his draft stock and he had a tendency to drop easy catches at Baylor. Thornton weighing in at 183 pounds is clear evidence that he could be potentially bullied around by bigger cornerbacks in the NFL. For comparison, his new teammate DeVante Parker stands at 6’3” and 209 pounds. If Tyquan Thornton wants to become a consistent player in Belichick’s offense, he’ll have to build muscle and prove dropping passes won’t be an issue this season.
Unlocking New England’s Offensive Potential
The addition of Tyquan Thronton to the Patriots’ offense could prove to open up more space for others to fill. Pairing Thornton and DeVante Parker on the outside will cause opposing defenses to drop back.
Consequentially, targets such as Tight End Hunter Henry will get much more space to catch and run with the ball. Bill Belichick has always wanted to keep his opponents guessing when it comes to offensive play calls. The past few years have seen stagnated and predictable New England offenses. Tyquan Thornton may just be the missing piece of the puzzle that the Patriots have been looking for.
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