3 Patriots Who Could Be Cut Following a Brandon Aiyuk Trade

3. Tyquan Thornton, WR

Tyquan Thornton has been one of the Patriots' more frustrating draft picks in recent years.

The former Baylor wideout's NFL future looked bright when the Patriots drafted him 50th overall in 2022. He was coming off a great season with the Bears that saw him earn second-team All-Big 12 honors after racking up career highs in receptions (62), receiving yards (948), and touchdowns (10).

Unfortunately, injuries have limited the 23-year-old from achieving similar success as a pro. Thornton has missed 12 games over the last two seasons and only suited up nine times in 2023. He failed to make the most of his limited opportunities, only catching 13-of-23 targets (56.5%) for 91 receiving yards without a TD. His six dropped passes in 22 career games also don't inspire much confidence.

Thornton has managed to somewhat improve his stock with strong showings throughout OTAs and training camp, but that might not mean much. The Miami, FL native also had back-to-back solid summers in 2022 and 2023 only to begin the regular season on the injured reserve rather than the 53-man roster.

While nobody wants to see it happen again, it looks like Thornton is already trending in a similar direction. He's been limited throughout recent practices due to a soft tissue issue, which could worsen his outlook with the team if he can't get back (and stay) on the gridiron.

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