Patriots releasing 2022 second-round pick Tyquan Thornton: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The New England Patriots are thinning the ranks in their wide receiver room.
The Patriots release third-year Tyquan Thornton, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports this Saturday.
Thornton’s release ends a disappointing tenure for the 24-year-old, who was selected by Bill Belichick’s Patriots in the second round (50th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Baylor product possesses lightning speed (he ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine), but was never able to translate that into success on the field.
Thornton recorded 22 receptions for 247 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie, all of which would be career highs; he caught 13 passes for 91 yards in nine games in 2023 and was an afterthought in the Patriots’ offense in 2024, with just four catches for 47 yards in six games played.
Thornton is one of several busts from New England’s 2022 draft class, Belichick’s second-to-last with the franchise. The Patriots selected the 6-foot-1, 185-pound wideout two spots ahead of Pittsburgh Steelers star George Pickens and three spots ahead of Alec Pierce, who had more yards as a rookie for the Indianapolis Colts (593) than Thornton did in his career. career to date (385).
Following Thornton’s release, the Patriots will have just one player from their 10-man 2022 draft class (cornerback Marcus Jones) on their active roster. (First-round pick Cole Strange is on the Physically Unable to Perform list, while sixth-round pick Kevin Harris is on the practice squad.)
The Patriots were reportedly open to trading Thornton before the 2024 NFL trade deadline, but found no takers.