6 Patriots Who Won't Survive the Preseason

2. Tyquan Thornton, WR

The Patriots' receiving corps got a little thinner the day after their preseason debut.

Veteran wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster was seen as a potential cut candidate throughout the offseason but the Pats held onto him. That changed on Friday when they released him just one year into his three-year, $25.5 million contract.

Smith-Schuster had 29 catches for 260 yards and one touchdown in his lone season with New England. He was set to account for $10.28 million this season and will still make $7 million from the Patriots.

It's a stark reminder that there's a new head coach in town. Jerod Mayo doesn't have ties to any player — especially on offense. That should be a warning for anyone else on the team that's underperformed thus far. That would include 2022 second-round pick Tyquan Thornton.

The Baylor product turned heads when he ran a 4.28 at the NFL Combine — although the unofficial time was originally 4.21 which would have been a record. The Patriots selected him 50th overall but he has yet to live up to that billing. As a rookie, Thornton had 22 receptions on 45 targets for 247 yards with two touchdowns. Those numbers plummeted in year two with him catching just 13 passes for 91 yards (7.0 average per catch) with no touchdowns.

He's been passed on the depth chart by DeMario Douglas who joins Kendrick Bourne, K.J. Osborne, and rookie Ja'Lynn Polk. Thrown in Javon Baker and even Jalen Reagor (who is expected to return kicks) and it wouldn't be surprising to see Thornton join Smith-Schuster in the near future.