When the New England Patriots cut Tyquan Thornton late last season, it wasn’t necessarily expected he would become an impact player somewhere in the near term. Among the catches was one Mahomes said was targeted for Hollywood Brown, but Thornton ended up reeling in instead. Story continues below advertisementWhether Thornton is a late bloomer or was misused by the Patriots remains to be seen. But the early returns in 2025 are promising for Thornton, a reality that must give a Patriots team that’s been desperate for quality pass-catchers the shivers. For comparison, he had 247 receiving yards as a rookie with the Patriots and never eclipsed the 100-yard threshold again.