For a second straight year, the New England Patriots are placing wide receiver Tyquan Thornton on injured reserve with a shoulder injury to start the season.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Mike Reiss reported the news on Wednesday.
Buy Patriots TicketsIt’s a disappointing turn of events for Thornton, who is hoping to bounce back after an underwhelming rookie season. After missing the first four games with a collarbone injury, he returned in Week 5 of the 2022 regular season, where he went on to haul in 22 catches for 247 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games as a rookie.
There was hope that he would emerge as one of the team’s key offensive playmakers with a more experienced play-caller in Bill O’Brien running the show. Instead, it was an up-and-down showing from the 2022 second-round draft pick in training camp and the preseason.
Those struggles couldn’t have come at a worse time with rookie sixth-round draft picks Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte making waves. Thornton’s absence now gives both of the young receivers an opportunity to surpass him on the depth chart.
#Patriots receiver Tyquan Thornton is starting the year on Injured Reserve, per source. Can return after four weeks. Suffered a shoulder injury during camp. @MikeReiss said earlier Thornton was a prime candidate for IR.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) August 30, 2023
Thornton will be eligible to return for the Patriots’ Week 5 meeting with the New Orleans Saints on October 8.
