Tyquan Thornton turned some heads at Wednesday's OTA session
FOXBORO -- Hopes are high for Tyquan Thornton as the Patriots receiver heads into his second NFL season. It will be a while before fans get to see him catch passes on Sundays, but he impressed the collective media in Foxboro on Wednesday.
With Patriots OTAs open to the media for the first time this offseason, Thornton put on a show. The speedy receiver caught anything and everything that went his way according to the accounts from Foxboro:
I don’t want to overreact to non-padded practices in May. But let’s overreact.
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) May 31, 2023
Tyquan Thornton looked phenomenal.Explosiveness on full display off the line of scrimmage and through route breaks. #Patriots
Speedy receivers often shine in these minimal contact settings. By Thornton was heavily involved in the scheme elements of the O and caught a handful of passes. What you want to see regardless of pads or not.
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) May 31, 2023
Tyquan Thornton had a nice day, catching everything that came his way
— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) May 31, 2023
I'll have more from my practice observations later, but Tyquan Thornton was very heavily involved. Patriots OL absences saw Calvin Anderson and Bill Murray playing bigger roles.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) May 31, 2023
That's great news for a Patriots offense that desperately needs production from its receiving corps. While it's important not to get too hyped up over OTA production, quarterback Mac Jones (who was the clear No.1 on Wednesday) needs all the weapons he can get.
Thornton said that he put on some weight over the offseason, but didn't want to go into the details about that. He said his goal is to become the best receiver he can be during the team's offseason work.
"We've been getting better each and every day. That's what we're working for," said Thornton.
As a rookie, Thornton caught 22 passes for 247 yards and a pair of touchdowns while also rushing for a score over 13 games. He started the season on IR with a fractured clavicle that he suffered during the preseason, and did not make his NFL debut until Week 5.
Thornton figures to have a prominent role in the New England offense in 2023, and it sounds like the second-year receiver is off to a good start in the early days of the season.