Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton Suffers Collarbone Injury

4:17pm: The second-round pick is not likely to play again until around October. The expected recovery timetable for Thornton is believed to be around eight weeks, Mike Giardi of NFL.com tweets.

12:04pm: Tyquan Thornton is going to miss some time. The Patriots rookie wideout suffered a collarbone injury that will probably force him to miss some regular-season games, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).

Thornton suffered the injury during last night’s preseason contest against the Panthers. While this shoulder ailment is expected to delay his regular-season debut, Rapoport notes that the injury isn’t expected to end the wideout’s season.

While the Patriots certainly don’t want to see any of their players injured, this news could help provide some clarity to a crowded receivers room. Thornton appeared to be one of the only WRs to be guaranteed a spot on next year’s roster, along with Jakobi Meyers and offseason acquisition DeVante Parker. Kendrick Bourne was curiously absent from last night’s game, and while Bill Belichick naturally refused to provide an explanation, it was hinted that the WR wasn’t sidelined with an injury. Meanwhile, rumors have swirled surrounding the future of Nelson Agholor in New England.

Both Bourne and Agholor would probably secure their spots on the roster if Thornton is forced to miss any time. Although the Patriots would have to carry Thornton past the preseason in order to place him on short-term IR, a stint on the injured list could also open up a spot or two for Tre Nixon, Kristian Wilkerson, and Lil’Jordan Humphrey.

Whenever Thornton returns, he should provide Mac Jones with a much-needed vertical threat. While pundits thought New England reached a bit when they selected the Baylor product in the second round, he still graded as one of the fastest players in the draft. Thornton finished his college career with 948 yards and 10 touchdowns during the 2021 campaign.