Tyquan Thornton Set — And Achieved — Obvious Offseason Goal

FOXBORO, Mass. -- It was hard to properly evaluate Tyquan Thornton's rookie season with the Patriots.

On one hand, the lightning-fast second-round receiver offered little production -- 22 catches for 247 yards -- despite seeing decent playing time over 13 games. On the other hand, Thornton battled injuries, personal turmoil and the general coaching dysfunction that plagued New England's offense all season. The Baylor product also showed real promise during training camp and did author some decent moments during the regular season.

However, one thing was abundantly clear: He needed to get stronger during the offseason.

Thornton entered the NFL as an ultra-lean prospect and stayed that way throughout his rookie campaign. It was the first thing you noticed whenever standing next to him during interviews. And Thornton's slender frame ultimately gave way to predictable durability issues and a penchant for being overwhelmed by press coverage.

But Wednesday's organized team activity practice, the first open to Patriots reporters, saw the debut of a new-look Thornton. The 22-year-old still won't confuse anyone for Calvin Johnson, but Thornton looked thicker and stronger during and after practice.

"Definitely was a big emphasis just getting generally stronger, so I could be able to play out there a full season," Thornton said during a post-practice media scrum.

Thornton also confirmed that he added weight this offseason but wouldn't offer specifics.

"I won't go into detail about that," he said.

While it's best to not read too much into a pads-less OTA practice without live contact, Thornton was a clear standout during Wednesday's session. He was Mac Jones' top target in the passing game, catching passes both on the boundary and over the middle.

It's early, but so far, so good for one of the Patriots' top X-factors in 2023.