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The New England Patriots are hoping that Mac Jones will be able to build off of his successful rookie campaign to lead the team back to the playoffs for the second straight season. Given the competitive state of the AFC, though, that's going to be easier said than done.
One of the main goals this offseason for the Patriots was to upgrade the weapons Jones had at his disposal. Among the new names brought in was Tyquan Thornton, who was New England's second round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Baylor.
Thornton had been having a promising camp, showcasing his speed and ability to rip off big plays at any given moment. Thornton's promising preseason was brought to a screeching halt last week when he was forced to leave the Pats second preseason game against the Carolina Panthers with a collarbone injury.
Thornton was later diagnosed with a fractured clavicle, and was forced to undergo surgery right before the start of the season. This was obviously a big blow, as Thornton looked capable of being a big piece of the offense right from the get go. The good news is that Thornton's timetable for a return was recently established as a six-to-eight week recovery period, meaning he should be able to help out the Pats at some point this season.
#Patriots rookie WR Tyquan Thornton underwent surgery Monday to repair a fractured clavicle, per source. Recovery time should be 6-8 weeks from the procedure but could vary depending on healing and re-acclimation to football. 2nd round pick still set to help offense this year
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) August 27, 2022
While losing Thornton for any period of time is obviously less than ideal for Mac Jones and the Patriots, it's good news that he could end up returning at some point during the 2022 regular season. Jones and New England's offense is going to need all the help it can get, so they are certainly hoping Thornton will be able to return closer to the six week mark than the eight week mark of his injury timetable.
