Patriots 90-Man Roster Spotlight: Kendrick Bourne

The New England Patriots can have up to 90 players under contract during the offseason. Patriots Football Now will profile all 90 players (though there are currently 91 on the roster) over the upcoming months. Today’s featured player is wide receiver Kendrick Bourne.

Kendrick Bourne

The San Francisco 49ers signed Kendrick Bourne after the 2017 NFL Draft as an undrafted free agent. He enjoyed a productive career at Eastern Washington, where he was teammates with future All-Pro Cooper Kupp. Bourne finished his collegiate career with 211 receptions, 3,130 receiving yards, and 27 touchdown receptions. He earned an invitation to the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine but his draft stock took fell after a 4.68 in the 40-yard dash.

Bourne played four seasons in San Francisco. His best year was 2020 when he caught 49 passes for 667 yards. Bourne totaled 137 receptions for 1,769 yards and 11 touchdowns over his four years with the 49ers. He was a member of the 2019 NFC Champions and caught two passes for 42 yards in San Francisco’s Super Bowl 54 loss to Kansas City.

Also Read – Patriots Pick Ja’Lynn Polk at No. 37 in the 2024 NFL Draft

The New England Patriots signed Bourne as a free agent on March 19, 2021. The contract paid $15 million over three seasons. Bourne agreed to a three-year deal worth $19.5 million before hitting free agency earlier this offseason.

Bourne produced for the Patriots in 2021. He finished with 55 receptions for 800 yards and five touchdowns. These were career bests in all three categories. He rushed for 125 yards, including seven first downs, on 12 attempts. Bourne had no carries during his tenure with the 49ers. Like most of the offense, his production dropped in 2022. His receiving numbers fell to 35-434-1. Bourne appeared to be in Bill Belichick’s doghouse on multiple occasions.

Kendrick Bourne rebounded nicely in 2023. He caught 37 passes for 406 yards and four touchdowns through eight games. He was on pace for 79 receptions, 863 yards, and nine touchdowns. Bourne suffered a season-ending right ACL injury in the Patriots’ eight game. It unfortunately ended his most productive NFL season prematurely.

.@Patriots take the lead on the Kendrick Bourne touchdown!

📺: #NEvsMIA on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/Quwvdzpx7G pic.twitter.com/aQyaMOs4s0

— NFL (@NFL) October 29, 2023

Pro Football Focus gave Bourne a 67.2 grade for the 2023 season. It was an improvement from his 2022 campaign (63.6) but a drop off from his career-high 77.8 his first season in New England.

Contract Status

Kendrick Bourne’s new contract keeps him with the New England Patriots through the 2026 season.

Wide Receivers Group

The New England Patriots wide receiver group has made several changes from last season. The unit now has twelve members fighting for roster spots. Kendrick Bourne is joined by returning veterans JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeMario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton, Kayshon Boutte, and Jalen Reagor. Kawaan Baker signed a future contract with New England in February. K.J. Osborn joined the Patriots in free agency. The team drafted Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker in the 2024 NFL Draft. They added undrafted free agents JaQuae Jackson and David Wallis to the roster more recently.

Outlook for Kendrick Bourne

Jerod Mayo announced Kendrick Bourne would be held out of mandatory minicamp, which he was. The projection has been for Bourne to join the team in training camp, ready to go for the start of the regular season. New England’s commitment to Bourne before allowing him to hit free agency indicates they believe he will make a full recovery from last season’s injury. However, with a three-year deal, the Patriots will not rush to get him in the lineup until he is ready.

Bourne has taken a leadership role in the offseason. He stated he would like to become a team captain for the Patriots. New England has not had a wide receiver as a team captain since Randy Moss in 2009 (aside from special teams star Matthew Slater, who was listed as a wide receiver).

Kendrick Bourne is one of the few locks for a 53-man roster spot with the New England Patriots if he’s healthy. He’ll be joined by DeMario Douglas and rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. However, if Bourne is not fully healthy he could start the season on IR to create roster room for an additional receiver. Clearly, the new regime in New England believes in Bourne. If he can pick up where he left off in 2023, the veteran could be in for a career year this season.