Tyquan Thornton injury update confirms Chiefs WR’s return timeline

The Kansas City Chiefs will be without wide receiver Tyquan Thornton for an extended period, but hopes are that he could still return this season. The injury Thornton sustained in Week 4 against the Las Vegas Raiders was a dislocated ankle, a severity that initially made a return this season seem improbable. However, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Thornton will undergo surgery this week, and the prognosis is that he will be sidelined for 12 to 16 weeks.

This timeline opens the door for the possibility of Thornton making a late-season or playoff return.

Rapoport reported, "After extensive tests today, Tyquan Thornton is expected back within 12 to 16 weeks. He'll have surgery within the week and there is a real chance at a late-season or playoff return." Before his injury, Thornton was in stellar form, with five catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns in a game, and a solid season thus far with 11 catches for 219 yards and two scores in four games.

Thornton wasn't the only Chiefs wide receiver to suffer an injury. Fellow wideout Rashee Rice also left the game early with a hamstring issue, leaving his Week 5 status uncertain. Despite this setback, Thornton's injury does not seem as severe. With Thornton sidelined, the Chiefs are in need of additional wide receiver depth. The team is reportedly in talks with former Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill about a potential return, as Hill is still recovering from a severe knee injury from last season.

However, there is optimism that Hill could be back by November, providing the Chiefs with another valuable asset at the position.