Tag: Tyquan Thornton

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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Patriots OC’s comments made WR Tyquan Thornton seem like a roster lock

AVP called Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton “special”

New England Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt gave a positive update on wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, as the latter looks to put together a strong third season.

Thornton has been bogged down by injuries over the past couple of years. He has totaled 35 catches for 338 yards and two touchdowns in two seasons with the Patriots. Many have been waiting for him to have a breakout season. He might need one this season with new depth options available at the receiver position.

“His ability to separate is special. His speed down the field…he’s been competitive at the catch point this year,” Van Pelt said on Thursday, per 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Alex Barth.

Time will tell what Thornton does on the football field.

Once again, his biggest hurdle will be his health. If he stays healthy, he could be a valuable piece in the Patriots offense as a legitimate outside receiving target.

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Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton explains how extra muscle has helped

Tyquan Thornton is already noticing a difference in his game

New England Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton is focused on staying healthy and playing his first full season.

Thornton has had an injury-plagued career to this point with the Patriots. He has tallied 35 catches for 338 yards and two touchdowns in 22 total games. He is feeling more confident this season, and he has also made some progress in the weight room. He has gone from 185 pounds to 191 pounds.

The wide receiver has gotten into a routine entering Year 3, and he sees his efforts in the weight room paying off.

“Definitely felt the difference, I feel like just being able to fight pressure against pressure and not getting knocked off my routes kind of easily,” said Thornton, when speaking with media members, via a team-provided video.

This is shaping up to be an important year for Thornton with added depth to the Patriots’ wide receivers room. K.J. Osborn was added in free agency this offseason, and the team drafted rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker.

The organization focused heavily on improving the position, and it will be interesting to see where Thornton falls in that mix. At the very least, he is taking steps to improve.

Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton bulking up in preparation for 2024 season

Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton is putting on muscle in the offseason

New England Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton is adding some serious muscle in the offseason.

The former second-round draft pick out of Baylor University hasn’t lived up to his draft stock over the last two seasons. He followed up a paltry 247 receiving yards and two touchdowns as a rookie with only 13 catches for 91 yards and no touchdowns in 2023.

There’s definitely pressure for him to perform in his third year with a new regime in place. He’s obviously taking it seriously enough to add muscle to his lanky frame in an effort to win more in coverage battles.

“Send me a size XXL,” Thornton wrote in an Instagram story to Kendrick Bourne, attached to a video of himself doing pull-ups. 

It’s been surprising that Thornton hasn’t been able to make an impact on the field with a 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame. He has speed and an ability to separate when he’s on his game, but those moments felt completely non-existent last season.

Maybe the third time will be the charm for Thornton, who shouldn’t be considered a lock to make the roster in 2024.

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Patriots’ 7 most disappointing players in 2023

Here are the Patriots’ seven most disappointing players in 2023.

There is enough blame to go around for the New England Patriots’ failures in 2023. So it wouldn’t be fair to point the finger at one or two people for the team’s worst season in the Bill Belichick era.

With that said, there were multiple players that failed to live up to expectations in a year when the team desperately needed a turnaround to rid themselves of the stench from the 2022 season.

Unfortunately, things didn’t get better for the Patriots. They got much worse, despite clear efforts to turn things around.

The team sunk to 4-13 on the year and finished dead last in the AFC East division. Belichick’s 24-year run as head coach came to an end, and the team is now on the journey to rebuild with a new regime in place.

Here are the seven most disappointing players for the Patriots in 2023:

Studs and duds from Patriots’ 6-0 loss to Chargers

Who were the studs and duds from the Patriots’ Week 13 shutout loss?

There was no miracle offensive resurgence with Bailey Zappe starting at quarterback for the New England Patriots in Sunday’s shutout loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

But that doesn’t mean it was all bad.

There were big plays and opportunities left on the field by the offense in the second half that ultimately led to drive killers.

It’s hard not to feel bad for the Patriots defense considering the incredible effort the unit puts in every week. But none if it matters if the offense can’t score points. Even a perfect performance by the defense wouldn’t have been enough for the Patriots to beat the Chargers.

Let’s take a look at the studs and duds from the game.

Ranking 8 most disappointing players for Patriots in 2023

Who are the eight most disappointing Patriots players so far in 2023?

An all-around disappointing season for the New England Patriots has led to an endless blame game from outsiders. Who is most responsible for the Patriots’ current predicament—the coaches, quarterback, receivers or offensive line?

The easy answer is there’s no singular individual responsible for the team imploding and falling to 2-8 on the season. It takes a village to create the colossal failure the Patriots have become this year.

With that said, there are certain players that have disappointed more than others. These are the players that were expected to play major roles in helping the Patriots turn things around from last season.

Yet, those expectations have only led to further disappointment for a franchise that’s unrecognizable from the perennial contender that reigned during the Tom Brady era.

Here are the eight most disappointing players for the Patriots this season:

Bill Belichick comments suggest Tyquan Thornton was benched after 12 snaps

Tyquan Thornton was expected to break out in 2023. Instead, he got benched after 12 snaps on Sunday.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick offered little explanation for the limited snap count for wide receiver Tyquan Thornton in Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders.

Thornton has had trouble finding the field this season, mostly due to injuries and inconsistent play. The former Baylor product has three catches for 15 yards on the year.

He didn’t see much playing time against the Commanders, either. He was on the field for the first three series of the game and struggled to run a key route on his final series. He did not see action in the game after that.

When speaking with media members, Belichick claimed Thornton was available for the entire game, and he wasn’t pulled due to injury. So his absence means he was benched after 12 snaps in the game.

 

There was hope that Thornton would break out this season, but it hasn’t happened yet.

It will be interesting to see if his role on the team continues to diminish or improves at a time when New England needs all the help they can get at wide receiver.

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The Morning After…If you still have hope for 2023 Patriots, it’s time to face the music

Some leftover notes the morning after the Patriots’ 20-17 loss to the Commanders.

The New England Patriots fell to the Washington Commanders at home 20-17 on Sunday.

It was no different than the team we have seen since the start of 2022, a bland offense lacking firepower and a defense that has to work their tails off to keep the team in the game.

Commanders quarterback Sam Howell took charge and threw for 325 yards, one touchdown and one interception, defeating a depleted Patriots defense. On the other side of the ball, the Patriots offense looked out of sync, and it feels like they are starting to officially check out.

Things feel like they have turned from frustration to just outright lack of passion. At least a frustrated locker room has some belief for the season. However, the team we saw against the Commanders feels like they’re packing it in and collecting their game checks.

Let’s get into some leftover notes from the game.

Patriots Wire Podcast: Why did Patriots stand pat at trade deadline?

This week on the Patriots Wire Podcast, we discuss the Patriots standing pat at the trade deadline, who steps up at wide receiver and preview the Patriots-Commanders game on Sunday.

The disappointment from a seemingly lost season continued for the New England Patriots in Week 8 with the team getting trampled at South Beach by the Miami Dolphins.

Those feelings were exacerbated by coach Bill Belichick opting not to sell the team before the trade deadline. Hope for a turnaround season quickly devolved into fans wanting to sell tradeable pieces for future draft picks to rebuild the roster.

But the trade deadline came and went without so much as a whisper from Belichick and the Patriots.

This week on the Patriots Wire Podcast, Ryan O’Leary and I discuss the fallout from Bill Belichick standing pat at the deadline, and we also preview the upcoming Week 9 matchup between the Patriots and Washington Commanders.

There’s some delving into the wide receiver situation as well with Kendrick Bourne out for the season with a torn ACL and DeVante Parker in concussion protocol.

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Did the Patriots make a mistake by not selling at the trade deadline? Who needs to step up the most at receiver? Will the team bounce back on Sunday against the Commanders?

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