Patriots Officially Part Ways With Standout Receiver. The New England Patriots have informed wide receiver Tyquan Thornton that he will be waived on Saturday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Thornton, 24, was selected by the Patriots in the second round (No. 50 overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft with hopes that he would emerge as the team’s primary deep threat. The Baylor product impressed scouts and coaches at the 2022 NFL Combine, posting an unofficial 4.21-second 40-yard dash time, which would have been a record. His official time was later recorded at 4.28 seconds, still one of the fastest ever.
However, Thornton’s rookie season didn’t meet expectations, and he suffered a fractured clavicle during the 2023 preseason, landing him on injured reserve. After being activated in October, his role with the team was drastically reduced, a trend that continued into the 2024 season.
Over his two-plus seasons in the NFL, Thornton has appeared in 28 games, catching 39 passes for 385 yards and two touchdowns, with an average of just 9.9 yards per reception.
With seven wide receivers on the 53-man roster and limited roster flexibility, the Patriots had little room to keep Thornton. After being inactive for the last five games, he had fallen to the bottom of the depth chart, and with other positional needs taking priority, New England opted to release him.
Waiving Thornton will result in a dead cap hit of just over $1.3 million for the Patriots.
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