Throughout Bill Belichick's tenure as the head coach and general manager of the New England Patriots, there is an unfortunately long list of draft busts that will forever linger in the minds of the most diehard fans. Part of that contributed to Tom Brady's decision to leave and ultimately to Robert Kraft letting go of Belichick in 2024.
The hope now is that Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf will continue their hot streak of impressive draft classes to get the roster back on track. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't look to the past to ensure the same mistakes aren't made again.
The most notable of all, besides N'Keal Harry, might be Tyquan Thornton, whom Belichick traded up for in the second round of the 2022 draft, and he only lasted on the team until he was waived just two years later.
He eventually signed with the Chiefs, an absolute powerhouse in the AFC, and has gone on to thrive as a receiver, even if he is a bit further down the depth chart. But that appears to be changing this offseason, as they have seemingly showed their utmost confidence in what Thornton can do in 2026 in an elevated role.
The Chiefs appear to hand the keys to Tyquan Thornton in a way Patriots fans could never envision
Although it was difficult to imagine that Thornton could go on to be successful in the NFL after leaving the Patriots, given how he played for them over two years, he's picked things up with the Chiefs and is expected to become a big part of their offensive game plan this fall.
That might not be something Chiefs fans were necessarily hoping for or expecting. Still, team expert Matt Conner sees their player-friendly contract and their lack of urgency to bring in more receiver talent as proof that Thornton is going to be given the keys this fall.
"To their credit, the Chiefs followed through on the first hope for Thornton by giving him more than $7 million in guaranteed money and loads of incentives over the next two seasons. He gets a cool $500K if he hits 500 yards and things escalate quickly from there. The same can be said for playing time."
The fact that the Chiefs not only did not engage in any legitimate trade talks for a wide receiver this offseason, but also did not prioritize the position in the draft until they took Cyrus Allen in the fifth round, seems to indicate that they are comfortable with the current receiving corps.
There's still a chance for other moves to be made, of course, with several months remaining between now and Week 1. But it's beyond clear that they are putting their full belief into Thornton, and hope he can live up to the pressure and expectations.
It will be an interesting thing to watch for Patriots fans, who were never satisfied with what Thornton did in New England, rightfully so. But there might be a small part that will be disappointed if he goes on to become a viable weapon for Patrick Mahomes.
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