Patriots Predicted to Cut Ties With $19.5 Million, 8-Year Veteran

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Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel

The New England Patriots drafted their franchise quarterback of the future with the No. 3 pick in 2024, Drake Maye out of North Carolina. In his limited activity — only 12 starts — he showed why, becoming a Pro Bowl selection )albeit as a replacement for injured Josh Allen) and placed eighth in offensive Rookie of the Year voting.

But the Patriots did not do an especially good job when it came to supporting Maye with an offensive line, or with pass receivers. Maye was sacked 34 times, the 13th-most sacked quarterback in the NFL despite starting his 12 games (and in one he was pulled after one sequence).

The Patriots also had the fewest passing yards in the league with 2,995, and second fewest touchdown passes with 18, making them one of only five NFL teams with fewer than 20 aerial touchdowns all season.

Patriots May Look to Cull Wide Receiver Room

When it comes to receivers, it seems that the Patriots should be adding them, not taking them away. But cutting ties with their longest-tenured wide receiver is exactly what New England is predicted to do – at least according to Pro Football Network analyst Sterling Xie, who made his prognostication in an article published on Friday.

As part of the Patriots all-out rebuilding effort under new head coach Mike Vrabel — who has been charged with turning the franchise around after back-to-back 4-13 seasons, and losing campaigns in four of the last five years — the PFN writer says that 29-year-old, eight-year veteran Kendrick Bourne has become redundant.

“One veteran who probably doesn’t fit with the rebuilding Patriots is Kendrick Bourne. Since his 55-catch, 800-yard season in 2021, Bourne has yet to hit 500 yards in a season, with a torn ACL from October 2023 hampering him each of the last two seasons,” Xie wrote. “Bourne turns 30 in August, and the Patriots signed Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins to serve as the reliable veterans in the receiver room.”

Bourne spent the first four years of his career with the San Francisco 49ers, who signed him in 2017 as an undrafted free agent out of Eastern Washington. The Patriots acquired Bourne for the 2021 season, signing him to a three-year, $22.5 million contract as a free agent.

After the 2023 season, following the firing of legendary coach Bill Belichick who signed Bourne three years earlier, Bourne agreed to stay with New England on a second three year deal, this one for $19.5 million.

Bourne Predicted to Land With Former Team

But according to Xie, Bourne may now be a better fit for for his former team, San Francisco.

“The 49ers might need some early-season receiver depth depending on Brandon Aiyuk’s recovery timeline, and Bourne would serve as an insurance policy in case Ricky Pearsall isn’t ready for a larger role,” the PFN scribe wrote.

Patriots insider Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston also sees Bourne as a candidate to be cut from the roster assembled by Vrabel.

“I know people love Kendrick Bourne; I love Kendrick Bourne’s personality and I think he’s in some ways really good for that locker room. But he has an issue with being in the right place at the right time and doing so consistently,” Perry said in an appearance on the network. “He’s still under contract, but you could get out of it. You can actually save yourself some cap dollars. I wouldn’t be surprised if that ended up being what happens next year.”

Jonathan Vankin JONATHAN VANKIN is an award-winning journalist and writer who now covers baseball and other sports for Heavy.com. He twice won New England Press Association awards for sports feature writing. Vankin is also the author of five nonfiction books on a variety of topics, as well as nine graphic novels including most recently “Last of the Gladiators” published by Dynamite Entertainment. More about Jonathan Vankin