Patriots Rookie Tyquan Thornton Suffers Collarbone Injury; Timetable For Return?
FOXBORO — For quite some time, New England Patriots fans have clamored for a wire receiver with the straight-line speed to take the top off of a defense.
The wait seemed to be over when the Patriots selected speedy wide receiver Tyquan Thornton with the 50th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Unfortunately for Thornton, his regular-season debut appears to be on hold, after the rookie wideout suffered an injury to his collarbone during the Pats’ 20-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers Friday night.
The Baylor product left the game with what was assumed to be a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter. Though it has yet to be confirmed, it is believed that Thornton suffered the injury under heavy contact while being tackled by both Panthers safety Sean Chandler and linebacker Brandon Smith. Shortly after, he was ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Though Patriots coach Bill Belichick failed to mention Thornton by name when speaking of potential roster concerns in his postgame remarks, a formal evaluation of Thornton’s injury was needed to ensure his availability for the week. He confirmed this when speaking with the media on Saturday morning.
“I didn't have any updates on any of the players last night,” Belichick said. “I said ‘at this point in time’ and from what we knew going into the game that's what it was. But, as always, we'll see what happens after the game. I don't know.”
According to NFL Media’s report on Saturday, Thornton’s injury is not expected to be season-ending. However, the 22-year-old (who recently celebrated his birthday on Aug. 7) will miss multiple games including New England's Sept. 11 season opener in Miami.
In two preseason matchups, Thornton caught three passes for 22 yards and one touchdown in just 37 offensive snaps.
While few, if any, would question his potential to add significant speed into New England’s arsenal of pass catchers, his 6-3, 182-pound frame has caused some to question whether the talented rookie wideout has the durability to hold up against pro-level defenders. While his collarbone injury cannot solely be linked to his slender build, some will speculate that it may have been a contributing factor in
With Thornton expected to miss extended time, New England will rely upon receivers Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, DeVante Parker, Tre Nixon, Josh Hammond and Lil’Jordan Humphrey as they travel to Las Vegas for joint practice sessions with the Raiders; culminating on Friday Aug. 26 in their preseason finale.
Reciever Kristian Wilkerson is also expected to miss the week’s action, as he recovers from a head injury suffered last Wednesday during joint practices with the Panthers in Foxboro.
