What Tyquan Thornton’s Return To Practice Means For Patriots

FOXBORO, Mass. — One of the Patriots’ top 2022 draft picks was back on the practice field Tuesday for the first time since training camp.

Wide receiver Tyquan Thornton returned to practice as New England began preparations for its Week 6 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders, starting his 21-day window to return from injured reserve.

Thornton was placed on IR before the Patriots’ season opener after suffering a shoulder injury during joint practices with the Green Bay Packers. He was eligible to return last week but did not. It remains unclear whether the Patriots plan to activate him ahead of Sunday’s game in Las Vegas.

Ideally, the blazing-fast Baylor product would be able to inject some speed and verticality into a Patriots passing game that’s floundered in recent weeks. But Thornton has yet to prove he can be a reliable offensive contributor, battling injuries and inconsistency since New England drafted him in the second round last year.

more patriots

Patriots Have To Regret Jakobi Meyers-JuJu Smith-Schuster Swap

by Zack Cox 5 Min Read

Reeling Patriots Have No Good Option At QB Amid Stunning Skid

by Zack Cox 4 Min Read

How Has Patriots’ Offense Gotten This Historically Bad?

by Zack Cox 5 Min Read

Thornton, who also began his rookie year on IR, played 527 snaps over 13 games in 2022 but totaled just 22 catches on 45 targets for 247 yards and two touchdowns. He recorded one or zero receptions in eight of his appearances, never notched more than four and cracked 50 receiving yards just once: a three-catch, 60-yard, one-touchdown effort in a Week 17 win over Miami.

But if Thornton is healthy enough to play this week, he could have a prominent role in a banged-up New England receiving corps. JuJu Smith-Schuster and rookie Demario Douglas both suffered concussions in Sunday’s blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints and did not practice Tuesday. Both will need to clear concussion protocol before they can return to action.

If Smith-Schuster and Douglas remain out, rookie Kayshon Boutte also could slot back into the lineup for the first time since Week 1. The Patriots have three additional reserve options on their practice squad in Jalen Reagor, T.J. Luther and receiver/quarterback hybrid Malik Cunningham.

“The best players will be out there on Sunday,” receivers coach Troy Brown said before practice. “The healthy guys, whoever that may be. I don’t know who we have available to us, but the best guys will be out there on the field for us on Sunday.”

Rounding out Tuesday’s list of practice absences were starting right guard Mike Onwenu (ankle) and outside linebacker Matthew Judon (torn biceps), who underwent surgery last week but had yet to be officially placed on IR. Onwenu, who’s been limited since undergoing offseason ankle surgery, left Sunday’s game after 22 snaps and did not return.

IR’d cornerback Jack Jones also remained sidelined as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury.