Ex-Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton joins Chiefs’ practice squad following clearing waivers
The defending Super Bowl champions will take a flier on Tyquan Thornton.
The Chiefs are signing the former Patriots’ wide receiver to their practice squad, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Thornton reportedly had interest from more than a dozen teams around the league, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
In the last couple of weeks, the Chiefs have added to their wide receiver room after losing Hollywood Brown and Rashee Rice to injuries. Last month, they traded for DeAndre Hopkins and will now add low-risk, high-upside Thornton to the mix.
The No. 50 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft will earn a fresh start after clearing waivers. Thornton, 24, had been a healthy scratch the last few weeks and fell down on the depth chart behind the likes of Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker, and K.J. Osborn.
Thornton came to New England with promise following the draft due to his blazing speed. He clocked the fastest 40-yard dash among wideouts in his class at the NFL Combine. The 6-foot-2-inch, 185-pound wide receiver out of Baylor University ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash.
The product of Baylor caught 22 balls for 247 yards and two touchdowns in over 13 games as a rookie. He missed time as well, landing on injured reserve after suffering a fractured clavicle in the preseason.
He will now join the Chiefs, who are coming off Sunday’s loss to the Bills, and will get to play for Patrick Mahomes and join former Patriots players wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, tight end Anthony Firkser, guard Joe Thuney, nose tackle Mike Pennel, and outside linebacker Joshua Uche in Kansas City.
