With the NFL free agency and draft both in the rear-view mirror, and the final phase of voluntary offseason workouts underway, the New England Patriots are officially “on to 2023.”
At the moment, the Patriots have a full 90-man roster. Only 53 of those players will be able to survive roster cutdowns and ultimately make the active team, with others competing for practice squad spots. Over the course of spring and summer, just like we have in years past, we will take an in-depth look at the men fighting for those spots to find out who has the best chances of helping New England rebound from a disappointing 2022 season.
Today, the series continues with second-year wide receiver Tyquan Thornton.
Hard facts
Name: Tyquan Thornton
Position: Wide receiver
Opening day age: 23 (8/7/2000)
Size: 6’2”, 182 lbs
Jersey number: 11
Contract status: Under contract through 2025
Experience
Before joining the Patriots in the 2022 draft, Thornton spent his entire four-year college career at Baylor. A four-star recruit out of high school, he arrived in Waco in 2018 and made an impact right from the get-to. Through the years that followed, he showed some steady growth and delivered his most productive season as a senior in 2021. All in all, Thornton ended his career at Baylor with 47 in-game appearances and 143 receptions for 2,242 yards and 19 touchdowns.
His productivity and solid performances at both the East-West Shrine Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine put him on New England’s radar, and the team invested a second-round draft choice to bring him in. He did miss some time early on in the season due to injury, but Thornton eventually carved out a role as a rotational member of the Patriots offense — one who touched the ball a combined 25 times for 263 yards and three touchdowns.
2022 review
Stats: 13 games (9 starts) | 526 offensive snaps (50.0%) | 45 targets, 22 catches, 247 yards, 2 TDs | 3 carries, 16 yards, 1 TD
Season recap: Coming off the best season of his college career at Baylor — catching 62 passes for 948 yards and 10 scores — Thornton made a name for himself in the pre-draft process: he put up the fastest 40-yard dash among all wide receivers at the Scouting Combine, covering the distance in only 4.28 seconds. His rare speed, combined with good production and high potential, prompted the Patriots to trade up in the second round of the draft.
New England traded the 54th and 158th selections to the Kansas City Chiefs to move up to No. 50 overall and bring him in. The decision to move up the board was a reflection of the team’s confidence in Thornton, and his ability to overcome the question marks that followed him before the draft — namely his lack of bulk (181 lbs) and relatively small hands (8 1/4”).
As a rookie, he indeed showed that he can find success despite those shortcomings. Thornton ended the season playing exactly half of the Patriots’ 1,052 offensive snaps (526) and saw action as both a receiver and a ball carrier: he had 22 catches on 45 targets for 247 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also carried the ball three times for 16 yards and another score.
Mac Jones to Tyquan Thornton gives the @Patriots the lead!
— NFL (@NFL) January 1, 2023
: #MIAvsNE on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/b9AODMuLy1 pic.twitter.com/Qmrpdo5EZc
The numbers tell only part of the story of Thornton’s rookie season, though. A look at his usage also shows that his time on the field fluctuated quite a bit throughout the year.
After missing the first four games of the season due to a fractured clavicle suffered in preseason, he played 50.3 percent of snaps between Weeks 5 and 13. When fellow wideout DeVante Parker suffered a concussion against Arizona in Week 14, Thornton saw his usage spike: he was on the field for 86.3 percent for the four games Parker either missed mostly or completely — effectively filling the No. 2 role behind Jakobi Meyers.
Parker returning for the season finale impacted the rookie’s usage again, but it was clear the coaches wanted to give him opportunities. He did not capitalize on all of them, as his drop rate of 11.1 percent shows, but had some encouraging moments.
Look no further than his Week 6 performance against the Cleveland Browns. Thornton not only caught four passes for 37 yards and a touchdown — all from backup quarterback Bailey Zappe — he also ran the ball three times for 16 yards and a score; those were his only rushing attempts of the season. His 53 yards that day ranked second on the year, behind a Week 17 win over the Miami Dolphins that saw him gain 60 yards on three receptions and also score once.
Thornton may have had some quiet stretches as part of an overall disappointing offense, but he certainly was able to showcase his skills on occasion.
2023 preview
What will be his role? Thornton aligned primarily at the X during his time at Baylor, but the Patriots employed him a bit differently in 2023: he saw plenty of action as a Z-receiver, with many of his routes reminiscent of Jakobi Meyers’. While New England will likely not use Thornton as the top option to replace the since-departed Meyers — JuJu Smith-Schuster will likely be the main man in that regard — he projects as a rotational No. 2/3, who will align both inside the formation and on the perimeter.
What is his growth potential? Thornton played some solid football in Year 1, but there are several things he can still improve upon. Adding more muscle to succeed against press-man coverage and in the run game, becoming more consistent at the catch point, and his overall route discipline are all areas he should focus on. If he manages to show growth, he should be able to become a more reliable contributor than he was as a rookie.
Does he have positional versatility? As noted above, the Patriots used Thornton as more of an inside/out Z-receiver in 2022 — a role he will likely continue to play this upcoming season. They also trusted him with as a runner on three occasions, but it is clear that there is still room for growth in that area. The same is true for his contributions in the kicking game: New England had him align as a gunner at times in practice, but he saw no special teams snaps in the regular season (and only one in preseason).
What is his salary cap situation? Entering the second season of his rookie contract, Thornton has a cap hit of $1.603 million. The structure of the deal is pretty straight forward: it contains a $1.025 million salary and $577,520 signing bonus proration, both of which are fully guaranteed.
How safe is his roster spot? From the economics of his contract situation to his projected role in 2023, Thornton can be considered a lock to make New England’s roster this season. The question is rather how new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien will opt to use him, and whether or not hi can live up to the potential he showed in college and at times as a rookie.
One-sentence projection: Thornton will finish the 2023 season as one of the Patriots’ top three receivers in terms of playing time and also be among the team leaders in receptions and receiving yards.
Loading comments...