One year ago, Tyquan Thornton was looking for redemption. Now, he's looking for relevance.
As free agency nears, Thornton is primed to hit the open market for the very first time in his four-year NFL career. One year ago, Thornton's chances of making more money looked lost, but after a bit of a rebound campaign with the Kansas City Chiefs, he'll at least earn plenty more than previously thought—and perhaps a bit more security, depending on how many teams get in on the bidding process.
Like any player, Thornton is likely going to sign on the dotted line with the team willing to pony up the most money. However, he's also expressed a readiness to shoulder a greater offensive burden wherever he lands—even if that's a return to Kansas City.
In a recent interview from Radio Row before Super Bowl LV in Santa Clara, California, Thornton sat down with Jason Anderson of 810 Sports to discuss his future. "This is my first time doing this, so everything is new to me," said Thornton, before being asked about where he wanted to go.
Thornton stated that he was going to let his agent take care of the work of figuring out the future when asked about whether K.C. had called him already or not. "I'm going to take the time to focus on myself and just continue to grind and get better and let that take care of itself and that's it."
Tyquan Thornton is ready to shoulder a bigger offensive load for any team that's ready to sign him in free agency.
However, when asked if he he wanted to rejoin the Chiefs , the answered turned a bit more positive, with the caveat that he was ready for more responsibility. "I would definitely want to be back to Kansas City, but you know, wherever I go, I want to have my fair share of targets. Go out there and contribute and play at a high level."
That last answer is important because Thornton's correct to question his usage rates if a return to K.C. is in the cards. Thornton quickly went from roster flyer to an important offensive component in the course of several months for the Chiefs. By the time the regular season was ready to begin, Thornton looked the part as a complementary deep threat for Andy Reid's offense.
However, when Xavier Worthy went down on the team's first offensive series of the year, when combined with Rashee Rice's suspension to start the season, Thornton's involvement went to a whole new level. Within a matter of weeks, Thornton looked like the only dynamic weapon in the Chiefs' arsenal.
Thornton had 13 catches for 272 yards and 3 touchdowns in the first 5 games of the regular season. If carried out over the course of, say, a healthy 15 games, which is how many he played this year before being sidelined late in December with a concussion, it plays out to nearly full-season totals of 39 catches for 816 yards and 9 TDs.
Instead, as Worthy recovered and Rice returned, Thornton was buried on the depth chart. Even Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster were earning more targets and playing time. Thornton didn't earn a single target in 3 of his next 7 games and caught only 2 passes in that entire stretch. By the way, those 2 catches went for 100 yards.
Thornton ended his season with 19 catches for 438 yards, which at a glance, appears as a nice rebound campaign for a player who was cast aside by the New England Patriots in 2023. Shaking the "bust" label likely felt good for Thornton after failing to make an impact as a former second-round choice. However, it also had to be confusing for Thornton to sit there and watch a sputtering offense leave their best big-play threat on the sidelines.
The sketchy body of work will keep Thornton from breaking the bank, but the clear production when given a chance in K.C.'s system should also intrigue enough teams to bet on the potential. The Chiefs would be wise to make sure he returns, but Thornton is right to ask for some greater clarity and emphasis in his role. Everyone needs the other here, if the Chiefs can only come to their senses.