The Kansas City Chiefs made another roster move on Monday which was first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Chiefs have added New England Patriots Wide Receiver Tyquan Thornton to their practice squad. Kansas City continues to add depth to their receiving room while they are still dealing with injuries at the position. Thornton became available after being waived earlier this month from New England and this signing for the Chiefs allows them to explore Thornton’s untapped potential.
Thornton’s addition comes when the Chiefs are actively seeking playmakers. Before this move, Kansas City objectively already had a solid group of receivers, but with their injuries at the position. Paired with the offensive struggles that have persisted for much of this season, the Chiefs will always look for ways to improve no matter how small. This move allows them to continue to evaluate new talent to potentially improve their offense.
Tyquan Thornton’s Career Up To This Point
Thornton was drafted in the NFL’s 2022 draft as the 50th overall pick. In that draft, New England actually ended up moving up to draft him after trading the draft pick with the Kansas City Chiefs that year. In his rookie campaign, Thornton recorded 39 receptions for 385 yards and 2 touchdowns, a promising start to his career. However, he then faced injury concerns and on top of that roster changes in New England also shrunk his role with the team.
When Thornton was with New England, he was able to utilize his 6-foot-2 frame paired with his speed in 4.28-second speed from the NFL Combine to create big-play opportunities. This season Thornton has only played in six games with the Patriots and on Saturday, November 16 he was officially waived by the team. With Thornton being released it created an opening for the Chiefs, who were among several teams that had him on their radar. They managed to jump ahead of the pack and bring him in quickly as part of their practice squad.
Why Did Kansas City Add Thornton?
This is the question fans and those following the Chiefs this season are likely wondering. Most people who have paid attention to the Chiefs this season would not disagree with the premise that Kansas City has had issues offensively, and it would be a fair assessment to say many of those issues stem from the pressure that has been put on Patrick Mahomes from opposing defensive fronts. They have been largely caused due to the lack of consistent play from their tackles all season.
However, the Chiefs also are without their No. 1 wide receiver, their offseason wide receiver signee. They recently got back Juju Smith-Schuster but he was out the last three games before that and has been dealing with a hamstring injury this season, and their rookie wideout Xavier Worthy and Mahomes have not been on the same page for most of this season. The Chiefs’ only real bright spot has been the signing of former Titans wide receiver Deandre Hopkins.
Also in spots, they have gotten solid play from Justin Watson and Mecole Hardman as well, but coming into this season they were meant to be at the bottom of the depth chart for receiving options, and instead, they have become key components of the Chiefs offense.
This leads us back to this move of bringing Thornton to Kansas City. The Chiefs had their eyes on him ever since the 2022 NFL Draft. The Chiefs value speed in their offensive system, and Thornton’s play style matches up with this to a tee. The Kansas City Chiefs have a history of maximizing players with similar traits, making this addition to their team a low-risk, high-reward move. Additionally, Thornton provides some insurance in the event the Chiefs suffer any more injuries to their wide receiver room.
Thornton’s Potential Future With the Kansas City Chiefs
With Thornton only being a practice squad player for the time being, his focus will remain on learning the Chiefs offensive playbook and building chemistry and trust with the coaching staff and players he will be working with. By beginning on the practice squad he will have the chance to work with players that have been with this team for years and understand the standard this team has, which will lend to to opportunity for self-improvement in Thornton’s play.
While Thornton is coming from an organization that is rich in championship history, it is not something he has had the chance of being a part of personally. However, now with the Chiefs, that is something he has a real shot of witnessing and playing a part in. Now in this new environment, Thornton can rediscover the form that made him a highly regarded draft prospect.
As of right now, Thornton has no guarantee that be on the active roster, but there is always an opportunity if he’s able to make a strong impression through his performance. The Chiefs often promote players who excel in practice, and with them searching for a spark to end their offensive woes he has a pathway to earn playing time. He simply needs to capitalize on this chance, and Thornton could emerge as a valuable contributor down the stretch for this team.
Kansas City’s coaching staff have done their due diligence in tandem with General Manager Brett Veach who brought Thornton in. Now they will likely monitor his progress closely. How quickly he can adapt to this new system and develop with the Chiefs will determine whether he becomes a factor in the offense later this season.
Final Thoughts
Whatever people may think of this move, in the long term it’s a smart and calculated gamble on a player with a clear upside. Plus with his addition to the team the Chiefs have now comfortably cleared up any depth concerns at the wide receiver position. By continuing to reinforce their wide receiving room the Chiefs have remained consistent and steadfast in their commitment to exploring every opportunity to improve the roster. Thornton’s speed and versatility as a receiver align well with the Andy Reid-led offensive philosophy, making him an intriguing addition to the team, one that certainly warrants keeping an eye on as the season progresses.
While Thornton’s immediate impact on this will be limited for now, he will have the opportunity and the ability to carve out a role in Kansas City. If he can stay healthy and adjust quickly, he could become a valuable piece for the Chiefs as they push toward their postseason goals.
