Patriots release receiver Tyquan Thornton, one of Bill Belichick's biggest draft busts
FOXBORO -- The New England Patriots released wide receiver Tyquan Thornton on Saturday, moving on from one of Bill Belichick's biggest NFL Draft busts. The Patriots cut ties with Thornton to make room for Christian Barmore on the 53-man roster, who was activated off the reserve/non-football injury list on Saturday.
The Patriots drafted Thornton in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Baylor, but the speedy receiver struggled to make plays when healthy and missed significant time due to various injuries. Overall, Thornton played in just 28 games (making 13 starts) over his two-plus seasons in New England, and made just 39 receptions for 385 yards and two touchdowns.
Thornton played in six games during the 2024 season and had just four catches for 47 yards. After being active for the first five games of the campaign, he was inactive for four of the last five contests.
Thornton will now hit waivers and can be claimed by any team. If he goes unclaimed, the 24-year-old will become a free agent.
Thornton part of a disastrous 2022 NFL Draft class for Patriots
After reaching to take guard Cole Strange with the 29th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft (the Pats traded back from No. 21 with the Chiefs, who took All Pro corner Trent McDuffie with the pick), the Patriots missed big on Thornton.
Belichick and Matt Groh went with Thornton over George Pickens, who went two picks later to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pickens has been one of Pittsburgh's top playmakers over the last three years, with 155 receptions for 2,580 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns over 43 games.
The rest of the draft wasn't any good either, as corner/return man Marcus Jones (picked in the third round) is the only member of New England's 2022 NFL Draft class still on the active roster. Fourth-round picks Jack Jones was released after a series of off-field issues last season, and quarterback Bailey Zappe was released ahead of the season.
Running back Kevin Harris, taken in the sixth round in 2022, is on the New England practice squad.
New England's struggles at drafting wide receivers
Belichick had a few hits at receiver, including Deion Branch (second round) and David Givens (seventh round) in 2002, both of whom played big roles in the early years of the dynasty. Julian Edelman (seventh round in 2009) was pretty darn good too, and Malcolm Mitchell (fourth round in 2016) only played one season but was massive in the team's Super Bowl LI comeback against the Atlanta Falcons.
The rest of the draft history at receiver is brutal though. Bethel Johnson (No. 45 in 2003) was taken ahead of Pro Bowler Anquan Boldin and lasted just three seasons. Chad Jackson (second round in 2006) was never more than a speedster. and only played two seasons in New England.
Brandon Tate (third round in 2009), Taylor Price (third round in 2010), Aaron Dobson (second round in 2013) and Josh Boyce (fourth round in 2013) were also big misses by Belichick and crew at receiver.
But the biggest miss was N'Keal Harry, who was taken at the end of the first round in 2019, ahead of the likes of A.J. Brown, Diontae Johnson, and Deebo Samuel. Harry had just 57 receptions over 33 games in his three seasons with the Patriots, and was traded for a seventh-round pick in July of 2022. He is currently on the Seattle Seahawks practice squad.
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