This summer marks the beginning of a new era for the New England Patriots, who have replaced coach Bill Belichick after 24 years with Jerod Mayo. While a rebuild is imminent in Foxboro, will the Patriots lose many recognizable faces? Current Patriots receiver Kendrick Bourne hopes that isn’t the case as he nears the end of his three-year deal with the team ahead of the 2021 season.
“I want to return (to New England). That is my objective. In a recent interview with ESPN’s Mike Reiss, Bourne stated, “I love being a Patriot—it’s a great environment for a person like me.” “Being a Patriot helped me develop into the player I am now. I am grateful for the organization, but you never know. I’d been in free agency before, and I wasn’t sure what would happen. And I’m not sure now.”
Bourne’s three years in Foxboro can best be described as rollercoaster-like. After he made an immediate impact in 2021, finishing second on the team in receiving with 800 yards, only behind Jakobi Meyers, things went downhill the following season. Bourne totaled just 434 yards and a touchdown on 35 receptions in 2022, as he quickly became an outcast in an offense led by de facto play-caller Matt Patricia. At the time, it seemed like the 28-year-old wouldn’t make it to his contract year in Foxboro and would instead be traded. However, despite the rumors of him being on the trade block, it never happened. Instead, changes were made on the coaching staff, as Belichick brought back Bill O’Brien as his offensive coordinator this past season. And while O’Brien’s return, which lasted just one season before he took the same job at Ohio State, didn’t come with the offensive turnaround many hoped for, he restored Bourne’s status as a prominent playmaker.
