5 Patriots players whose stock is rising after OTAs

Tyquan Thornton

Like JuJu Smith-Schuster's surprising rise this offseason, third-year receiver Tyquan Thornton has also been making waves on the practice field. He, too, will need to keep it up over the next two months to secure a spot on the roster, as he is near the top of the list of players in danger of being cut this summer.

It's clear Thornton knows how critical this offseason will be for him and his career, as he's been working harder than he ever has to improve his game. He's noticeably put on weight and muscle, which has been a concern even before he was drafted, and he's been working a lot with his receiver teammates since the 2023 season ended.

His efforts have not gone unnoticed, either, with receiver's coach Tyler Hughes speaking highly of Thornton to The Boston Globe's Christopher Price after practice last week.

Patriots’ WR coach Tyler Hughes on Tyquan Thornton: “He’s put in a lot of work this offseason. I’m really, really proud of him in that regard. He’s gotten stronger. He’s gotten bigger. All that has helped him. He’s had a real, real strong spring.”

Looking impressive in the spring is nothing new for Thornton, though. He's been a star of the offseason during the last two years, only to start the regular season on injured reserve. The plan, of course, is for this year to go differently, hence the weight/muscle gain, and hopefully, that will come to fruition.

With DeVante Parker out of the picture, Thornton has an easy role to take over. He was initially brought to the team to be the 50/50 guy, and he's shown he can do that successfully when he's healthy and given a chance.

He will need to keep up the hard work and show it on the field to get off the chopping block and remain with the team moving forward.

More Patriots coverage: