Kendrick Bourne Returns Home: San Francisco 49ers Reunite With Fan Favorite
Well, well, well. Look who’s coming back to the Bay Area like a boomerang with better hands and route-running skills. Will Kendrick Bourne be able to live up to the lofty expectations?
Why the 49ers Needed Bourne Back
The 49ers’ receiver room looks about as healthy as a gas station sushi buffet heading into Week 2. With Jauan Jennings nursing a shoulder injury that’s keeping him on the sidelines, Brandon Aiyuk still dealing with knee issues, rookie Jordan Watkins hobbling around on a bum ankle, and Demarcus Robinson suspended, Kyle Shanahan was probably staring at his depth chart like it was written in hieroglyphics.
Enter Kendrick Bourne, stage left—or should I say, stage right back where he belongs. The 30-year-old wideout inked a one-year deal worth up to $5 million with San Francisco on Monday morning, according to his agent Henry Organ. It is the kind of homecoming story that makes you want to grab some tissues, except this one actually makes football sense.
Bourne’s Journey Back to the Bay
Let’s rewind the tape here. Bourne started his NFL journey as an undrafted free agent out of Eastern Washington back in 2017—you know, when the iPhone X was still considered cutting-edge technology and everyone thought the Patriots would never decline. He spent four solid seasons in red and gold, hauling in 137 catches for 1,769 yards and 11 touchdowns, including a Super Bowl LIV appearance that didn’t end the way anyone in the Bay Area wanted.
Then came 2021, and like that friend who moves across the country for a “better opportunity,” Bourne packed his bags for New England. Four seasons later, after 155 catches for 1,945 yards and 11 more touchdowns in Foxborough, the Patriots cut him loose on August 27—just one day after roster cuts. Talk about brutal timing.
But here’s where it gets interesting. Bourne didn’t just sit by his phone waiting for Shanahan to call. The savvy veteran played the field harder than a dating app power user, visiting both the 49ers and Washington Commanders before ultimately deciding to keep his options open through Week 1. Smart move, considering how Sunday’s injury report read like a medical journal.
What Bourne Brings To San Francisco
This isn’t just about filling a roster spot with a warm body who knows the playbook. Bourne brings nine years of NFL experience and, more importantly, familiarity with Shanahan’s system that you can’t teach in a weekend crash course. When your receiving corps is held together with athletic tape and prayers, having a guy who can step in immediately without needing a GPS to find the locker room is invaluable.
The numbers don’t lie—292 career receptions for 3,714 yards and 22 touchdowns across his eight seasons split between San Francisco and New England. He is not going to replace Deebo Samuel or transform into Jerry Rice overnight, but he’s a reliable target who knows how to get open when it matters most.
The Perfect Timing
Coach Shanahan confirmed after Sunday’s narrow 17-13 victory over Seattle that the team was still pursuing Bourne, saying, “I know he hasn’t signed with anyone, so I know it’s a possibility we can get him. I know we’re still trying. Hopefully that can work out.” Well, Kyle, Christmas came early this year.
With Ricky Pearsall and the injured Jennings being the only receivers to catch passes against the Seahawks, adding Bourne to the mix gives the 49ers some much-needed depth and experience. Russell Gage Jr., Skyy Moore, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling saw action but didn’t register a single catch—not exactly the kind of production you want from your supporting cast in a league where every possession matters.
The 49ers will need to make a corresponding roster move to make Bourne’s signing official, but that’s just paperwork at this point. What matters is that San Francisco just got significantly more dangerous at a position where they desperately needed help.
