Chiefs Sign Former Patriots Wide Receiver After Sudden Weekend Release

On Saturday, the New England Patriots cut ties with 2022 second-round pick Tyquan Thornton. Despite the team desperately needing help at receiver, Thornton never got on the field for the Pats, and his release, while the sudden (few notable players being released on a random Saturday during the season), wasn’t necessarily unexpected. It was clear months ago that a fresh start would be best for both sides.

The Kansas City Chiefs saw what was going down and decided to try their hand at utilizing Thornton’s talent. On Monday, the defending champions inducted Thornton to a practice squad deal, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The Chiefs have searched high and low for receiver help this season after losing Rashee Rice for the year, highlighted by the DeAndre Hopkins trade prior to the deadline. Patrick Mahomes has made it work well enough in the meantime, leading the Chiefs to nine straight wins to start the season before losing to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, but it’s obvious to anyone with eyes that the offense is nowhere near dangerous as it once was.

Thornton was selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft because of his lightning speed, but he has so far failed to produce in the pros. Due to a combination of injuries and healthy scratches, Thornton has appeared in a total of 28 games over three seasons. For his career, Thornton has 39 catches for 385 yards and two touchdowns.

Maybe practicing with Mahomes will unleash Thornton’s potential. The Chiefs certainly hope so as they look for more ways to improve their 16th-ranked offense.