FOXBOROUGH — On the official Patriots roster, Tyquan Thornton is listed at 185 pounds.
The 6-foot-2 wideout says that’s outdated. An offseason of bulking up has him at 192 pounds, Thornton shared after Sunday’s training camp session at Gillette Stadium. In the early days of camp, he believes the added weight is already benefiting him.
“Definitely felt the difference,” Thornton said. “Just being able to fight pressure against pressure. Not getting knocked off my routes kinda easily.”
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Thornton has enjoyed a solid start to his summer, but the real test will come when the Patriots practice in full pads for the first time on Monday. Always a thin wideout, Thornton has struggled with press coverage at times, and is certain to see a lot more of it when the intensity ramps up. However, that’s not the biggest reason for the added bulk, the third-year wide receiver said.
“Really, it’s just about being able to hit the ground and pop back up,” Thornton said. “All of my injuries have been from the ground… my focus is on putting on muscle so I can play a full season.”
Thornton has landed on injured reserve in back-to-back seasons, first breaking his collarbone as a rookie, and last August landing on his shoulder awkwardly during a joint practice in Green Bay. In two years with the Patriots, Thornton has caught just 35 passes for 338 yards in 22 games. This summer, he’s in an intense competition for a roster spot alongside fellow bubble players JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kayshon Boutte, and Jalen Reagor.
“Tyquan is one of those guys where physically he has all the tools,” coach Jerod Mayo said. “Obviously, we all know that he can run. Now he just has to put it all together, and I feel very confident with our offensive coordinator and our receiver coaches to get him to the point where he can make an impact for our team.”
