New England Patriots Cut Kendrick Bourne: When Loyalty Meets Reality in Foxborough
The New England Patriots have officially parted ways with Wide Receiver Kendrick Bourne on Wednesday. Where will he end up next?
The Writing Was On the Locker Room Wall
Bourne saw this coming from a mile away. After missing most of training camp with a foot injury that had him hobbling around like he stepped on a LEGO barefoot, the veteran wideout basically said, “You know what? I’m good. Just release me.” And who can blame him?
The team was sitting pretty with eight wide receivers on their initial 53-man roster. That is more crowded than a Boston subway car during rush hour. With guys like Stefon Diggs leading the charge and younger talent like Javon Baker breathing down everyone’s necks, Bourne could read the room better than a seasoned poker player.
Bourne’s Patriots Journey: The Good, The Bad, and The Injured
Here is the thing about Bourne. The guy gave New England some genuinely solid years. Remember 2021? That was his coming-out party in a Patriots uniform. The man caught 55 passes for 800 yards and 5 touchdowns, looking like he belonged in Josh McDaniels‘ offense.
But then football happened. The injuries pile up faster than laundry in a college dorm. A torn ACL knocked him out for chunks of the 2023 and 2024 seasons, and suddenly those 800-yard campaigns became distant memories. Last season, he managed just 28 catches for 305 yards. Those aren’t exactly numbers that make you untouchable when roster decisions come calling.
The Trade That Never Was
Plot twist: the Patriots actually tried to shop the receiver around before cutting him loose. According to reports, they had some conversations with the Minnesota Vikings about a potential deal. When you can’t even get a late-round pick for a guy who had an 800-yard season just four years ago, that tells you everything about how the league views his current value.
Where Does He Land Next?
Here’s where things get interesting, and maybe a little nostalgic. The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly showing “high interest” in bringing Bourne back to where it all started. It is like running into your high school sweetheart at the grocery store and realizing they still look pretty good.
Bourne spent his first four NFL seasons in San Francisco, and there is something poetic about a potential homecoming. The Niners know what they’re getting. A reliable veteran who won’t wow you with spectacular catches but also won’t drop the easy ones when it matters.
The Bottom Line
This isn’t a shocking move, but it’s still kind of sad. He represented everything you want in a complementary receiver – steady hands, decent route running, and the kind of professionalism that coaches love. But in a league where youth gets served and cap space matters, sentiment doesn’t pay the bills.
The Patriots are clearly betting on their younger guys stepping up. Baker showed flashes in preseason, and with Diggs anchoring the receiving corps, they probably figured they could afford to let Bourne walk. At 30 years old with over 290 career catches and nearly 4,000 receiving yards, he isn’t washed up. He is just caught in that awkward middle ground between being too expensive for what he brings and too experienced to develop further. It is the NFL equivalent of being overqualified for one job and underqualified for another.
