The Patriots placed Thornton (shoulder) on injured reserve Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
As a result, Thornton will miss at least the first four weeks of the upcoming campaign while he recovers from a shoulder issue. In his absence, the Patriots' WR corps will be led by the veteran trio of JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker and Kendrick Bourne, with 2023 sixth-rounders Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte on hand to work in complementary roles in the team's passing game out of the gate this season.