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Kenbrell Thompkins Healthy Inactive; What is His Future?

The Patriots deactivated one of their top receivers from week 1. Why did the team make that decision?

Rob Foldy

Wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins was benched for the return of Aaron Dobson, a decision only 10% of us expected. When Danny Amendola and Brandon LaFell are far less productive on offense than Thompkins, yet manage to rank over him, we have to ask ourselves why did Thompkins sit?

It's clear that no matter how much quarterback Tom Brady loves you- and Brady loves himself some KT- coach Bill Belichick will do what he deems is best for the team. With Amendola as the team's main slot receiver and LaFell providing more special teams value, Thompkins would have provided the least amount of value during the game.

Dobson is the clear number one outside receiver and it seems as if Belichick is doing what he can to push Thompkins from the back-end of the roster. The move echos last season's disappearance of Thompkins, who saw less and less time on the field as Dobson returned to the field.

It remains to be seen if Thompkins is a part of the Patriots plans for the rest of the season. He's a viable number four option on a team, but it's possible the team might use his lack of special teams value to justify heading a different direction when Brian Tyms returns from his suspension.