The New England Patriots are short on wide receivers at the moment, as Kendrick Bourne and DeVante Parker both went down with injuries in the team’s Week 8 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Bourne tore his ACL, and Parker suffered a concussion.
Obviously, someone else needs to step up in the Patriots’ receiving corps, and Tyquan Thornton wants to be the one to answer the bell.
Thornton was a healthy scratch in his hometown last weekend, but he is using that as fuel to ensure he is on the field this Sunday when New England takes on the Washington Commanders.
“Just continue to do what I was doing, man,” Thornton said when asked how he can alter his situation, via Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston. “Just doing it a little better. Being more consistent. Using it as fuel, being inactive in my hometown Miami. That’s something I [didn’t] like. But it is what it is. Got to keep rolling with the punches so this week’s going to be a great one.”
It seems hard to imagine that Thornton won’t be on the gridiron in Week 9 with the Pats down two key receivers.
The 23-year-old, who played his collegiate football at Baylor, was selected by the Pats in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
He had a pretty disappointing rookie campaign, playing in 13 games and finishing with 22 catches for 247 yards and a couple of touchdowns.
Thornton’s role has been even smaller this season, as he has logged just two grabs for eight yards in a pair of contests.
“More focus,” Thornton said when asked how he’ll try to earn a larger role. “Harder work. More consistency. … Just continue to play ball. Just ball. It’s just ball at the end of the day. We’ve all got to step up. Guys got an opportunity to make plays. We’ve just got to take advantage of it.”
Thornton certainly isn’t the only player who needs to step up for the Patriots, as the proud franchise has gone just 2-6 over their first eight games this season.
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