Patriots WR Could Benefit From Trade

This New England Patriots wide receiver would probably prefer to get dealt by the NFL trade deadline.

Dec 3, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (11) reacts after running the ball against the Los Angeles Chargers in the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots are in dire need of receiving help, which is why it may seem odd that they could be looking to trade some wide receivers by the NFL deadline.

But due to the fact that some Patriots wideouts are clearly not fitting in, it may be time for New England to cut the cord.

A perfect example is Tyquan Thornton, who Bleacher Report's David Kenyon has named among seven players in need of a change of scenery.

"After playing in 66 percent of snaps as a rookie, he dipped to 42 percent in 2023 and is down to 30 percent in 2024," Kenyon wrote. "Thornton is behind four receivers on the depth chart, and three of them—Demario Douglas, Ja'Lynn Polk and Kayshon Boutte—are also 24 or younger. Thornton's time in New England must be running thin."

Thornton, who played his collegiate football at Baylor, was selected by New England in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

He caught 22 passes for 247 yards and a couple of touchdowns during his rookie campaign, but last year, Thornton's role decreased significantly, as he finished with just 13 catches for 91 yards.

The 24-year-old has logged four grabs for 47 yards this season, with two of those receptions coming in the Pats' Week 8 win over the New York Jets.

Thornton clearly has talent. He is a burner who can stretch the field, he has great size at 6-foot-2 and flashed some serious potential while at Baylor, particularly during his senior campaign when he snared 62 balls for 948 yards and 10 scores.

But obviously, Thornton's ability has not manifested at the NFL level.

Whether that's because he just isn't very good or because he simply isn't flourishing in Foxborough is the real question.

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