Jul 30, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (51) walks to the practice field at the Patriots training camp at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

If you were holding out hope for a surprisingly fast recovery for the injured Tyquan Thornton, those hopes have taken a big hit.

The New England Patriots have placed the promising rookie wide receiver on injured reserve after initially naming him to the 53-man roster, the team announced Thursday. Thornton will now miss a minimum of four games. The Pats had to first name Thornton to the 53-man roster in order to be able to place him on short-term IR.

Thornton recently underwent surgery to repair a broken collarbone suffered in their preseason game against the Panthers. The typical range of recovery times for the injury is 6-10 weeks. Dating back to the injury, Thornton will officially miss at least six weeks after being placed on IR.

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When Thornton is finally able to return, the Patriots will still have a 21-day window to activate him from IR. In the meantime, they’ll lead on an established top-4 rotation of Jakobi Meyers, DeVante Parker, Nelson Agholor, and Kendrick Bourne.

The Patriots also signed former Dolphins receiver Lynn Bowden Jr. to the practice squad, adding him to Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Tre Nixon in that group. Thornton’s move to IR has opened up a roster spot, which could possibly be used to elevate someone from the practice squad.

However, that may not necessarily be a wide receiver. It wouldn’t be surprising if Bill Belichick rolled with just the aforementioned foursome at the position. The Patriots rarely run four-receiver sets and could field a balanced snap count with the group at Belichick’s disposal.

If the team plans to elevate a receiver from the practice squad, Humphrey is the most likely candidate. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Humphrey qualifies as their biggest wide receiver and flashed on both offense and special teams during the preseason. So he feels like the safest bet to get the first call-up from Belichick.

Thornton’s physical gifts and well-rounded game made him a training camp standout. Unfortunately, his wiry frame (6-foot-2, 182 pounds) hurt his draft stock, and a collarbone injury in his second game ever has justified some people’s concerns.

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – AUGUST 11: Tyquan Thornton #11 of the New England Patriots celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the preseason game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on August 11, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The Patriots are getting ready for their 2022 season opener, which comes Sept. 11 at Hard Rock Stadium against the Miami Dolphins. We’ll keep you covered throughout the season here at 985TheSportsHub.com.

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Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @realmattdolloff. You can also email him at [email protected].