Patriots reportedly putting perceived draft bust WR on trade block

The New England Patriots are all ears if any would-be suitors are interested in trading for 2022 second-round draft pick wide receiver Tyquan Thornton.

The Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora reported on Friday that the Patriots have made it known to NFL teams that Thornton is available. Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick drafted the former Baylor standout in hopes that his speed and size would translate into a reliable receiving target on the outside.

But it has been nothing but injuries and disappointment from Thornton.

Granted, he isn’t exactly playing in a functional offense to highlight his skills. So an argument could be made that Thornton has underperformed due to the ongoing offensive struggles in New England.

Then again, it’s hard to argue with the numbers—37 catches for 365 yards and two touchdowns in 26 games over three seasons.

That isn’t good enough.

The addition of Kendrick Bourne could also have a profound impact on Thornton’s snap count. He’s on the brink of getting buried on the depth chart, and the Patriots are trying to figure out what to do with him before that happens.

Maybe another team would love a shot at spinning that draft bust narrative into a success story.