Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is set to be an unrestricted free agent in one month when the 2024 NFL free agency period begins. It will be his second time testing the market.
Bourne signed a three-year, $15M deal with New England during the team’s free agency spending frenzy during the 2021 off-season. He spent the first four years of his career with the San Francisco 49ers, making a trip to Super Bowl 54 in the process.
Bourne’s first season with New England in 2021 was something to remember, as he accumulated a career-high 55 receptions for 800 receiving yards and tied his single-season touchdown record of 5. He immediately became a fan favorite, partly due to his constant and contagious high-spirit attitude.
However, in his second year with New England, like most offensive players on the team during the 2022 season, Bourne regressed statistically and even saw a noticeable decrease in his usage on the field. He finished the season with only 35 receptions for 434 yards and one touchdown.
Bourne’s 2023 season began strong, with the veteran receiver accumulating 37 receptions for 406 yards and four touchdowns in only eight games. But with the good came the bad, as Bourne would unfortunately tear his ACL during New England’s Week 8 matchup in Miami, ultimately ending his season.
The recovery process has been “going very well,” according to Bourne, who discussed the process with Ben Volin of The Boston Globe on Tuesday. “Just recovering every day,” Bourne said. “I got my quad popping. Things are looking good—walking, moving. Just ahead of schedule, so I’m feeling really good.”
Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston caught up with Bourne on his show “Quick Slants” and asked him if he would like to return to New England, to which he replied, “Absolutely, man.”
“The way they treated me last year. I mean, all my years, you know, they helped me grow tremendously in my life. Personally, emotionally, everything mentally, as a football player ultimately, and I want to be back in that,” Bourne expressed.
Curran also asked Bourne if there is a quarterback prospect that he thinks would be a good fit in New England.
“I like Jayden Daniels,” Bourne replied. “I’m a Jayden Daniels fan. Heisman Trophy winner, obviously. I love how he plays, being able to be versatile. I think that it would be a strong suit for us.”
When asked about the possibility of trading down in the draft, Bourne kept his answer short and simple: “Don’t do it.”
LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is a likely candidate that will be available for the Patriots to draft with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. Bourne would be a prominent veteran presence in the wide receiver corps that could guide Daniels if New England were to re-sign him. We’ve also seen Bourne play a crucial role in helping Mac Jones be elected to the Pro Bowl during his rookie season.
It will be interesting to see how New England approaches Bourne in free agency as he recovers from his injury, enters his age-29 season, and is under new management and a rebranded offensive coaching staff.
