Patriots place Tyquan Thornton on injured reserve, name 15 to practice squad, including Bailey Zappe and Malik Cunningham

FOXBOROUGH — After establishing their initial 53-man roster on Tuesday, the Patriots stayed busy on Wednesday.
New England placed wide receiver Tyquan Thornton on injured reserve, according to a league source. Thornton, who has not played since landing hard on his shoulder during a joint practice in Green Bay, will miss at least four regular-season games.
The 23-year-old Thornton also began last season on IR, missing four games because of a broken collarbone. The lack of availability is becoming a concerning trend for the 2022 second-round pick. His absence creates more opportunities for rookies Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte, both of whom earned roster spots after promising showings in training camp.
The Patriots also signed 15 players to their practice squad. Quarterbacks Bailey Zappe and Malik Cunningham cleared waivers, so they rejoined the team at Wednesday’s practice. As did running back Kevin Harris, running back/wide receiver Ty Montgomery, wide receiver Thyrick Pitts, tight end Matt Sokol, offensive tackle Andrew Stueber, offensive linemen James Ferentz and Kody Russey, safety Joshuah Bledsoe, linebackers Calvin Munson, Joe Giles-Harris, and Ronnie Perkins, and punter Corliss Waitman.
The lone new face on the practice squad is tight end Pharaoh Brown, whom the Colts released Tuesday. The 29-year-old Brown has spent time with five teams since entering the league as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon in 2017. He has 51 career receptions for 478 yards and two touchdowns in 55 games.
The Patriots still have one open spot on their practice squad. Running back J.J. Taylor remains unsigned, while 2022 sixth-round pick Chasen Hines opted to join the Dolphins’ practice squad and guard Bill Murray the Bears’ practice squad.
Taylor and Montgomery would be logical candidates to fill Thornton’s spot on the 53-man roster. It would be surprising if the Patriots move forward with Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott as their only running backs. They could especially use a third-down option.
Montgomery, who missed a considerable amount of training camp with a leg injury, said Wednesday he feels “good.” He would not elaborate on his status with the team.
Another possibility is Zappe, as starter Mac Jones is the lone quarterback on the 53-man roster. The Patriots can temporarily elevate two practice squad players to the game-day roster each week, but a player can only be elevated three times each season before needing to sign an NFL contract in order to be active.
Perhaps the Patriots take advantage of the elevation process to start the season, but the team will eventually need to carry a second quarterback on their 53-man roster, whether it be Zappe or a separate signing. Nick Foles, Colt McCoy, Trevor Siemian, and Carson Wentz are available if the Patriots are interested in a veteran.
Moving down the roster, the Patriots also have to determine their depth chart at offensive line. The team dedicated 11 spots to the position — a reflection of its uncertainty — but that number should decrease as the Patriots gain clarity.
Center David Andrews, left tackle Trent Brown, left guard Cole Strange, and right guard Mike Onwenu will start in Week 1, barring injuries or other unforeseen circumstances. Calvin Anderson, Riley Reiff, and rookie Sidy Sow are the options at right tackle.
It seems unlikely that the Patriots will keep trade acquisitions Vederian Lowe and Tyrone Wheatley Jr. on the active roster, along with the two odd men out among Anderson, Reiff, and Sow. The team still could place Reiff on IR — he has not practiced since suffering a knee injury in the preseason finale — which would help navigate the roster crunch.
Rookies Jake Andrews and Atonio Mafi are interior depth pieces, with Mafi likely the next man up should Strange or Onwenu not be available.
There’s plenty more for the Patriots to sort out. Do they feel comfortable with only two tight ends? How will the upcoming court date for cornerback Jack Jones affect his availability? Is another trade in store?
Coach Bill Belichick and director of player personnel Matt Groh will likely continue tweaking the roster over the next few weeks.
As Belichick said Tuesday, “Multiple balls in the air here for the next couple of days. That’s the way it is this time of the year. We all knew that it was coming.”