Patriots OTAs: Managing Workloads of WRs Thornton, Smith-Schuster

As fans continue to clamor for the addition for a potential game-breaking wide receiver, the New England Patriots coaching staff is keeping a watchful eye on a pair of wideouts already on their depth chart. 

The Pats, per a Sunday morning report from ESPN’s Mike Reiss, have been taking a ‘cautious” approach when managing the respective workloads of wide receivers and Tyquan Thornton and JuJu Smith-Schuster during the team’s offseason workout program.  

Despite his impressive start during organized team activities (OTAs,) Thornton has seen limited action as of late. Per Reiss’ report, his reduced usage stems from a “soft-tissue-related injury,” thought to have been suffered within the past two weeks.  

Following his selection by the Patriots in the second round (50th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. Thornton has been heralded as a potential deep threat due to his speed. However, his rookie debut was delayed when suffering a fractured clavicle in the preseason. After his activation from injured reserve, Thornton showed flashes of his potential. In Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns, Thornton scored his first receiving and rushing touchdowns, making him the first Patriots wide receiver since Deion Branch to score a receiving and rushing touchdown in the same game. Thornton finished his rookie season with 22 catches for 247 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran three times for 16 yards and a touchdown.

During the offseason, thus far, Thornton has demonstrated the initiative to gain greater synergy with his quarterbacks, along with the speed and explosiveness which made him a highly-touted prospect. Having impressively hauled in a few passes from quarterback Mac Jones while working with the first-team offense during OTAs, he seems primed for a significant step forward in 2023.

Smith-Schuster, who signed a three-year, $33 million deal with New England in March, has yet to be an active participant in team drills OTAs. The six-year veteran incurred a knee injury during January’s AFC Championship Game as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. Still, Smith-Schuster played an integral role in the Chiefs’ 38-35 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, catching seven passes for 53 yards.

Accordingly, New England is being prudent when it comes to Smith-Schuster’s health heading into 2023. The USC product possesses the ability to routinely gain yards after the catch — which, in theory, should endear him to new Patriots’ offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. He earned 141 yards above expectation last season — the fifth-highest number in the league. Smith-Schuster ranked ninth in the league with an average of 5.8 yards-after-catch per reception. By comparison, the entire Patriots’ receiving corps combined gained just 33 yards after the catch in 2022.

The Patriots are set to begin their three-day mandatory minicamp on Monday on the practice fields adjacent to Gillette Stadium.

More Patriots coverage from Sports Illustrated here.