Patriots Place WR Tyquan Thornton on Injured Reserve; Return Date?

For the second straight season, New England Patriots receiver Tyquan Thornton will miss the first four games of the season while on injured reserve.

FOXBORO — The collective eyes of Pats Nation were fixed on the practice fields adjacent to Gillette Stadium on Wednesday, as second-year receiver Tyquan Thornton was conspicuous by his absence. 

Having also missed Tuesday’s session, speculation began to surround Thornton’s status — especially given his placement on the 53-man roster just one day earlier. 

Accordingly, and expectedly, Thornton will begin the season on injured reserve , per an ESPN report, to rehabilitate his injured shoulder, which he suffered during joint practices with the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 17. He will be eligible for removal from IR after four weeks, per NFL regulations. 

The Pats second-year receiver has no shortage of speed or talent. However, his durability is likely to remain a concern. During the second of two joint practice sessions with the Packers, Thornton turned in arguably his best training camp catch; hauling in a 50-yard deep ball from quarterback Mac Jones. The 23-year-old dove for the ball and hung on to make the impressive grab.

Unfortunately, Thornton quickly sought attention from the training staff, who walked with him to the training area for further evaluation. Since that time, he has neither played in a preseason game, nor seen any action on the practice fields. 

Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Following his selection by the Patriots in the second round (50th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Baylor product has been heralded as a potential deep threat due to his speed. However, Thornton saw the field sporadically throughout camp, due to a “soft-tissue” injury reducing his workload. In his absence, both Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte fully utilized their respective opportunities to earn roster spots. Thornton certainly made his case stronger during the Pats 20-9 preseason-opening loss to the Houston Texans, in which the second-year speedster made a leaping grab for 27-yard completion of a Bailey Zappe pass.

Still, the Pats should remain cautious. After all, Thornton’s rookie debut was also delayed when suffering a fractured clavicle in the 2022 preseason. After his activation from injured reserve, Thornton showed flashes of his potential. In Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns, Thornton scored his first receiving and rushing touchdowns, making him the first Patriots wide receiver since Deion Branch to score a receiving and rushing touchdown in the same game. He will need to show the same type of potential, as well as durability, to maintain his spot on the depth chart.