Tag: Tyquan Thornton

Chiefs cut former draft pick, two-time Super Bowl champion from practice squad

The Kansas City #Chiefs cut Cornell Powell from their practice squad this week after they signed ex-#Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton.

According to a tweet from NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, the Kansas City Chiefs have released wide receiver Cornell Powell from their practice squad.

Powell was selected by the Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2021 draft out of the University of Clemson.

Despite an impressive showing at the NFL combine, the former Tiger was signed to Kansas City’s practice squad where he has spent the majority of his career in the league.

A two-time Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs, Powell has continuously had impressive showings in the preseason but has been unable to translate that success into the regular season.

Powell’s release is thought to be the corresponding move to Kansas City’s signing of wide receiver Tyquan Thornton on Monday.

Though it is unclear whether Thornton will see action with the Chiefs in the coming weeks, Powell’s departure signals that Kansas City was ready to move in a different direction at the wide receiver position.

Stay tuned to see if another team will pick up the fan-favorite or if he will re-join the Chiefs later this season.

Twitter reacts: Chiefs sign speedy ex-Patriots WR to practice squad

See what #Chiefs fans on Twitter had to say about Kansas City’s decision to sign speedy ex-#Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton.

The Kansas City Chiefs acquired former New England Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton on Monday in a deal that will see the speedy pass-catcher take on a new role as a member of the defending Super Bowl champions’ practice squad.

A former Baylor Bear, Thornton turned heads at the 2022 NFL combine by running a 4.28-second 40-yard dash. His outstanding measurables were enough to entice New England into spending a second-round pick on him in the 2022 NFL draft.

Though he hasn’t yet been able to translate his blazing speed into production as a professional, Thornton now finds himself in the perfect situation to thrive in one of the league’s most revered offenses.

Chiefs fans on Twitter were thrilled to see that Thornton was joining Kansas City’s practice squad, especially after the team’s Week 11 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

Top reactions:

Report: Chiefs signing Patriots former second-round draft pick WR

A former Patriots receiver is joining Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are reportedly signing former New England Patriots starting wide receiver Tyquan Thornton to their practice squad, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Thornton was waived by the Patriots on Saturday after struggling to stay on the field for three seasons. The former Baylor standout is perceived as a second-round draft bust with only 39 receptions for 385 yards and two touchdowns in well over two years with the team.

His blistering speed at receiver was likely the main trait that piqued the Chiefs’ interest. They love to load up on offense with explosive playmakers who can catch passes and make plays happen on the field.

However, Thornton was far from a YAC-king for the Patriots.

Perhaps things will be different for Thornton in Kansas City.

What better situation could he ask to be in than catching passes from three-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Patriots Mahomes and Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who is arguably the greatest play-caller in NFL history?

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Chiefs sign blazing-fast former Patriots 2nd round pick to practice squad

The #Chiefs signed former #Patriots second-round pick Tyquan Thornton to their practice squad on Monday after losing to the #Bills in Week 11.

The Kansas City added some serious speed to their receiving corps on Monday after their Week 11 loss to the Buffalo Bills by signing former New England Patriots second-round pick Tyquan Thornton to a practice squad contract.

Thornton, who was released by New England last week, ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL combine and played collegiately at Baylor.

Though Thornton isn’t expected to earn a role in Andy Reid’s offense in his first few weeks with the Chiefs, his addition could prove to be a pivotal moment for Kansas City if the defending Super Bowl champions suffer any more injuries at the wide receiver position.

If Thornton were to be called up from the Chiefs’ practice squad to play against the Carolina Panthers in Week 12, fans in Kansas City might get to see their first glimpse of the blazing speed that made him one of the most coveted prospects in the 2022 NFL draft.

Should Steelers claim former second-round WR off waivers?

Should the Steelers claim Tyquan Thornton off waivers to bolster their wide receiver room and add more speed to their offensive attack?

What a difference a few weeks make! Heading into the trade deadline, the New England Patriots’ lightning-fast WR Tyquan Thornton was one of many receivers linked to the Pittsburgh Steelers as a potential trade target.

However, Pittsburgh ultimately pulled the trigger on a trade that brought New York Jets WR Mike Williams to the Steel City. Now, it appears the Patriots have moved on from Thornton as well.

On Saturday, insider Adam Schefter reported that the New England Patriots would be releasing their former 2022 second-round receiver. Thornton ran an impressive 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Combine but struggled to make an impact during his three seasons with the Patriots, recording 39 receptions for 385 yards and two touchdowns in 28 games.

Steelers GM Omar Khan could once again showcase his decision-making prowess by adding Thornton’s speed to an already dangerous Pittsburgh offense.

Steelers’ wide receivers George Pickens, Mike Williams, Calvin Austin III, and the potential addition of Thornton would give QB Russell Wilson the tools to cook any opposing secondary.

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Instant analysis of Patriots releasing WR Tyquan Thornton

Taking a closer look at Tyquan Thornton’s reported release

Tyquan Thronton’s time with the New England Patriots has come to an end. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Saturday that the team had released the former 2022 second-round draft pick.

It didn’t happen through a trade, as some expected might have been the case ahead of the November 5 deadline. The writing was already on the wall for Thornton’s future in New England. It was time to chalk him up as a bust and move on.

Thornton had size, speed and impressive athletic traits that were initially believed to be good enough to be a huge lift to the offense, if you aligned with the Bill Belichick way of thinking.

George Pickens was also still on the draft board, but he was ultimately selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers after the Patriots made the decision to go with Thornton instead.

Pickens is on pace for his second straight 1,000-yard season, while Thornton couldn’t get on the field with one of the least productive receiving rooms in the NFL. Since joining the Patriots, Thornton has only mustered 39 receptions for 385 yards and two touchdowns in two-and-a-half seasons.

Ouch.

The Patriots had a logjam at receiver with seven wideouts on the 53-man roster. Thornton initially started the year as the team’s No. 1 outside option, but then he was replaced with Kayshon Boutte, who has been far more consistent in games.

The new regime wasn’t responsible for drafting Thornton, but they were responsible for drafting Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. Both of the rookies have struggled this season, and the Patriots can only hope their situations don’t end up like Thornton’s.

For all of the criticism surrounding Belichick for his struggles at drafting good receiving talent, he had two solid hits on 2023 sixth-round picks, Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte.

Coach Jerod Mayo and lead personnel executive Eliot Wolf need to knock it out of the park at receiver through the draft or free agency. They hit on the right quarterback with rookie Drake Maye, who looks every bit as promising as advertised.

The clock is ticking.

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Report: Patriots have released former second-round draft pick receiver

Tyquan Thornton has reportedly been released by the Patriots

The New England Patriots have reportedly released wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Thornton was the 50th overall pick in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft. His speed and playmaking ability after the catch were thought to be major assets at the NFL level.

However, injuries and on-field struggles plagued Thornton throughout his time in New England. He recorded 39 catches for 385 yards and two touchdowns during his time with the organization.

His best season came in 2022, when he tallied 22 receptions for 247 yards and two touchdowns.

Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt labeled Thornton as a player who was having a strong preseason camp. However, the Baylor product was unable to translate it to the field consistently enough.

The Patriots had a logjam at receiver with Kendrick Bourne returning, along with rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. All three of those receivers joined Demario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte and K.J. Osborn.

There weren’t enough snaps to go around with seven receivers on the roster.

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Patriots making change to WR room ahead of Sunday’s game vs. Jets

The Patriots are making one noteworthy wide receiver change against the Jets

The New England Patriots are making a change to their wide receivers room ahead of Sunday’s game against the New York Jets. According to Patriots coach Jerod Mayo, wide receiver Tyquan Thornton will be active for the divisional matchup.

Rookie receiver Ja’Lynn Polk was ruled out for the game due to being in concussion protocol. So this will be an opportunity for Thornton to get things back on track after being a healthy scratch for the last couple of weeks.

The Baylor product has recorded two catches for 27 yards on the season. He has had a bumpy NFL career with 37 catches for 365 yards and two touchdowns in his three seasons with the Patriots.

“Tyquan has done a good job at practice,” Mayo said, per a team-provided video, via NESN.com’s Keagan Stiefel. “I’m looking forward to seeing him in a game. He will be at the game. He’s had a great week of practice; he’ll be there, and hopefully, it translates.”

The Patriots will be looking to end a six-game losing streak and avenge a previous loss to the Jets on Sunday. They’ll need all hands on deck, including Thornton’s, if they hope to have any chance of pulling off an upset.

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Jerod Mayo’s blunt reason for Patriots’ veteran wideouts being benched

Jerod Mayo explained the recent shake-up at wide receiver for the Patriots

There were a couple of significant changes on the New England Patriots’ wide receiver depth chart ahead of Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans.

Tyquan Thornton was a healthy scratch for the game, and K.J. Osborn didn’t take a single snap. Meanwhile, second-year wideout Kayshon Boutte saw an increased number of snaps.

Osborn has been a complementary piece on a Patriots wide receivers unit struggling to find production. He has tallied five catches for 31 yards, while Thornton has caught two passes for 27 yards.

“You can put it – it’s the same thing that we’re going through with the offensive line,” Mayo said, per a team-provided video, via NESN.com’s Sean T. McGuire. “I think when I look at the film, it’s Boutte, it’s Pop (DeMario Douglas), it’s (Kendrick Bourne).

“We need the rest of those guys to step up and make plays.”

All three of the above-mentioned wideouts have experience in the Patriots’ offensive system. Douglas had a tremendous game against the Texans, leading all receivers with six catches for 92 yards and a touchdown on Sunday.

Thornton and Osborn both have work to do to regain their original spots on the roster. Boutte caught a 40-yard touchdown pass in Sunday’s game against the Texans.

It’ll be worth watching to see if the wide receiver combinations remain the same for the rest of the season.

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Patriots reportedly putting perceived draft bust WR on trade block

One Patriots wide receiver could soon be on the move

The New England Patriots are all ears if any would-be suitors are interested in trading for 2022 second-round draft pick wide receiver Tyquan Thornton.

The Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora reported on Friday that the Patriots have made it known to NFL teams that Thornton is available. Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick drafted the former Baylor standout in hopes that his speed and size would translate into a reliable receiving target on the outside.

But it has been nothing but injuries and disappointment from Thornton.

Granted, he isn’t exactly playing in a functional offense to highlight his skills. So an argument could be made that Thornton has underperformed due to the ongoing offensive struggles in New England.

Then again, it’s hard to argue with the numbers—37 catches for 365 yards and two touchdowns in 26 games over three seasons.

That isn’t good enough.

The addition of Kendrick Bourne could also have a profound impact on Thornton’s snap count. He’s on the brink of getting buried on the depth chart, and the Patriots are trying to figure out what to do with him before that happens.

Maybe another team would love a shot at spinning that draft bust narrative into a success story.

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