NFL training camp is underway. That can mean only one thing: that the NFL regular season is finally almost here! Starters are sharpening their iron to get ready for the regular season. Backups are competing for starting spots. Fringe guys are competing for roster spots. A lot is happening, and a lot of players are either shining or fading within these groups of players. This is happening in every NFL training camp all across the country, including a team like the New England Patriots.

The Patriots missed out on the playoffs last season. The last time the Patriots missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons was in 1993 when they failed to reach the postseason from 1986-1993. So, they've never missed the playoffs in two straight seasons since 1994. To avoid that fate in 2023, they will need all hands-on deck and as few players underperforming in camp as possible. No one is perfect, however. Three players, in particular, haven't been able to stand out in Patriots camp.

Tyquan Thornton

Tyquan Thornton was not projected to be a second-round pick by many mock drafters before the 2022 NFL Draft. But the Patriots bucked conventional wisdom and took him there, two spots ahead of Pittsburgh's George Pickens and four spots ahead of Kansas City's Skyy Moore. Pickens caught 52 balls for 801 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie. Skyy Moore didn't do much as a rookie, but he did catch a touchdown in the Super Bowl and outgained Thornton. Those hoping for Thornton to emerge in his second year got some bad news earlier this week with how Thornton has performed in camp.

This was from an article by Chad Graff, a Patriots beat reporter from The Athletic. Michael Hurley of CBS Sports Boston has reported that Thornton has ‘moved backward a bit‘ in camp. To literally add insult to injury, Thornton has been dinged up a bit in camp too. Thornton has time to turn things around but hasn't gotten off to a fast start early in training camp.

Kendrick Bourne

It's easy to forget that the Patriots signed Kendrick Bourne to a three-year $15 million contract just two years ago. After he inked that contract, he tallied 70 targets, 55 receptions, 800 yards, and five touchdowns in 2021. But things haven't gone so smoothly for Bourne since then. His playing time fell off a cliff in 2022. His numbers fell to 48 targets, 35 receptions, 434 yards, and one touchdown and Bourne has been subject to trade and cut rumors all offseason long.

Those are only going to get louder with his performance in camp. In that same article Chad Graff mentioned Tyquan Thornton as a faller in camp, he also mentioned Bourne as a faller. He said that both Thornton and Bourne failed to record a catch through the Patriots' first three practices against their defense. That's not going to cut it. Bourne is going to have to step his game up or he might be on a new team before the season starts.

Mike Gesicki

Mike Gesicki signed a one-year $4.5 million contract this offseason that included $3.55 million guaranteed. But he hasn't been the Patriots tight end that has shined so far during training camp.

Mike Gesicki is expected to play a lot of snaps out of the slot for the Patriots this season. He hasn't had the loudest camp so far, but it isn't as if he's played bad either more so than Hunter Henry has excelled. Gesicki should still have a big role for the Patriots, but making more plays as camp goes on would help Gesicki work his way up the target pecking order.

Moving Forward

It's easy to overreact to training camp reports, but that's the nature of the training camp news cycle. Some guys start off hot then cool off and vice versa. There's plenty of time for Tyquan Thornton, Kendrick Bourne, and Mike Gesicki to make some noise. It just hasn't happened quite yet.