Tag: Kendrick Bourne

WATCH: Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne snags Drake Maye touchdown pass

Drake Maye and Kendrick Bourne got the scoring going early

The New England Patriots scored the first touchdown of Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Rookie quarterback Drake Maye connected with veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne for the score. The touchdown ended a seven-play, 77-yard drive that took 2:34 off the clock. It was Bourne’s first touchdown of the season, and it came a week after he was benched.

It was Maye’s eighth touchdown pass of the year on a day that saw him start off passing 7-of-9 through the air.

Maye has looked more in control of the offense each week he’s been under center. On this drive in particular, he did a great job of utilizing the few receiving weapons available to him, and it culminated into a touchdown reception for Bourne.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne shares honest feelings on being benched

Kendrick Bourne shared his thoughts on being benched last week

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is taking his benching last week against the Chicago Bears in stride.

This has been part of an up-and-down season for the wide receiver, who is still working his way back from the torn ACL injury he suffered last season. He has tallied eight catches for 70 yards so far on the year.

He was forced to set aside his own competitive nature for the younger players to get more snaps last week, reportedly. He recently shared his thoughts on getting benched.

“If something’s coming up, there’s something there, and I have to look at it openly. I could lie to myself and be, ‘I played great!’ But they might not think like that,” Bourne said, via Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed. “So, just applying myself, what I see and evaluate myself honestly, so I could be better. I didn’t think it was that crazy bad, but I definitely could be better, and I’m looking at it like that.”

Bourne was thought to be a key piece of the Patriots’ wide receivers room moving forward. That might still be the case considering the team plans on playing him in Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Time will tell if his snap count mirrors the heavier load he was getting before being benched or if he remains limited in any way.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Patriots veteran WR will play vs. Rams after being benched last week

Kendrick Bourne will play in Sunday’s game against the Rams

New England Patriots veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne won’t be warming the bench in Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams, according to coach Jerod Mayo.

When speaking with media members on Friday, Mayo confirmed that Bourne would play after not seeing a single snap in last week’s road victory over the Chicago Bears.

Leading up to the game, the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan reported that Bourne was told that he might not play in the game due to the team prioritizing some of the younger players on the roster with snaps.

Bourne handled the situation like a professional, and the entire coaching staff, particularly Mayo, was appreciative of it.

Bourne being on the field with Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte gives the team their best chance to win. Even though he is still working his way back to 100 percent after suffering a torn ACL last season, he has looked like one of the team’s top-three options at receiver.

He’s still searching for a breakout game this season. Perhaps his moment will finally arrive in Sunday’s game against the Rams.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne’s unexpected post-game reaction after being benched

Kendrick Bourne reacts to the Patriots’ win over the Bears

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was benched for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears. However, that still didn’t stop him from celebrating and cheering his team on following the Patriots’ 19-3 win.

Per a report from the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan, the veteran was told on Saturday he might not play in the game due to the team prioritizing snaps for some of their younger wide receivers. That kind of news would typically leave any veteran feeling disgruntled.

But Bourne took the entire situation in stride and kept things positive.

It hasn’t been the easiest year for Bourne while attempting to bounce back from the ACL injury he suffered last season. He started to show some promise after recording four catches for 41 yards against the Tennessee Titans last week, before being benched against the Bears.

The Patriots came away with the win, but they are still going through growing pains, while attempting to bring along some of their younger playmakers on offense.

With that being said, Bourne’s reaction to Sunday’s win was a reminder that the veterans are equally as important.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Jerod Mayo reveals reason for benching Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne

Jerod Mayo explained the decision to bench Kendrick Bourne

New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo made an interesting decision before the team’s upset victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

He decided to bench veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne a week after his best performance since returning from the torn ACL he suffered last season. Bourne hauled in four receptions for 41 yards in the 20-17 overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans last week.

Before the knee injury in 2023, Bourne led the team in receiving yards. He has clearly struggled this season with only eight receptions for 70 yards in total for the Patriots.

“There was a lot that went into that,” Mayo said on Bourne after the game. “We thought that was the best thing to do for us to give us the best chance to win. All of those guys bring a certain skill set to the game. We just didn’t know who was going to play more.

“It just played out that way. But I will say this, even though Bourne didn’t play today, he was the first one smiling when I walked in the locker room, and I’ve always appreciated that. Just his energy and excitement.”

Bourne, Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte have been three of the more productive wide receivers for the Patriots. Time will tell if Mayo’s decision was a one-off or if the Patriots continue to shift the focus away from Bourne this season.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne’s unique mindset amid trade rumors

Kendrick Bourne never shied away from the possibility of being traded

Veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was one of several players on the New England Patriots roster featured in trade rumors leading up to Tuesday’s trade deadline.

Bourne ultimately wasn’t traded, but he shared his mindset heading into the deadline with Patriots center David Andrews and former quarterback Brian Hoyer on the “The Quick Snap” podcast.

“I understand the business,” said Bourne. “So it all comes into understanding in my mind what I’m dealing with. When you enter into the NFL, this is what you might have to deal with—injuries, trades, business, family differences, whatever. You have to deal with so much.

“…So if Eliot [Wolf] tells me, ‘We see value in you, and we can make this team better.’ Hey, I love the organization. I understand. No hard feelings. That’s always just me having a positive mindset.”

The wide receiver is still working his way back from a torn ACL last year. He has tallied eight catches for 70 yards on the season, and he is coming off his most productive game last week against the Tennessee Titans, when tallying four catches for 41 yards.

Bourne could be an integral part of the Patriots’ passing game moving forward. He signed a three-year contract extension with the team back in March.

There’s hope that his veteran leadership and abilities on the field could serve as another building block as the team continues to retool on offense.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Two more Patriots players named as trade candidates after Joshua Uche move

Joshua Uche was the first trade move by the Patriots, but it might not be the last

The NFL deadline is approaching and two New England Patriots players have been considered as potential trade candidates.

Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne and wide receiver K.J. Osborn are listed as potential trade candidates, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.

Bourne has eased his way back into the Patriots offense ever since returning from the ACL injury he suffered last season. He has four catches for 29 yards on the year. Osborn was signed to a one-year deal in free agency in the offseason. He has struggled to find a role in the Patriots offense and has recorded only seven catches for 57 yards and a touchdown.

Rapoport and Pelissero believe these two are the most viable candidates for New England to be traded:

While Kendrick Bourne is the receiver who has garnered most of the trade rumors, it would take a large deal to pry him from New England. A more likely trade possibility as a veteran option is Osborn, who is on a one-year deal and has thrived elsewhere.

The Patriots have already been active ahead of the trade deadline in their decision to ship linebacker Joshua Uche to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round draft pick.

Could another major move be on the way?

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne senses different energy around team

Kendrick Bourne shared his thoughts on the Patriots’ struggles

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne commented on the team’s struggles, following Sunday’s 32-16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He believes a self-evaluation for every player on the team is the best hope of turning things around.

The veteran wideout had one catch for 14 yards on a day when the top two receiving options were tight end Hunter Henry and running back JaMycal Hasty.

Bourne has been one of New England’s most productive receivers since he signed with the team in free agency in March 2021. He has recorded 130 receptions for 1,655 yards and 10 touchdowns.

He has seen several iterations of the Patriots offense, and he noted that there seems to be a different energy around the current team.

“There’s certain things we need to figure out that’s within,” Bourne said, via Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan. “That’s how the energy feels. There’s something else that is contributing to us having low energy. Like, we had good, long drives, and that’s when we need to play our hardest.

“But with those drives, we start to get tired. There’s self-evaluating we need to do. I don’t know who specifically, it’s just as a group it feels like that. Just how I operate, I can feel it. So that’s just where I see we can be a lot better.”

How can the Patriots get things headed in the right direction for a team that has struggled on both sides of the ball? Bourne has proven to be an offensive catalyst during his tenure in New England.

They’ll need that effort to continue in some form in 2024.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Patriots’ x-factor player for Week 7 matchup with Jaguars

Who is the x-factor player for the Patriots in Week 7?

The Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) have been floundering and have been well-accustomed to the London area after spending the last two weeks there. You could probably call them the London Jaguars at this point.

The New England Patriots (1-5) need to get things back on track after dropping their last five games, following a shocking Week 1 victory. Meanwhile, the Jaguars are looking to keep their season (and jobs) alive, following a blowout loss to the Chicago Bears.

The Patriots have a tough task against a Jaguars team with more talent on paper. However, football isn’t played on paper, and the Jaguars have not been kind to themselves with costly mistakes and not executing at the right times.

The offense might be ready to explode in London, but the Jaguars need to get back to the fundamentals. The Patriots, on the other hand, need to expose their flaws and capitalize on a team that is frankly at their wit’s end.

The x-factor player this week is someone who will help expose the Jaguars’ biggest weakness, their passing defense. For week 7, the x-factor for the Patriots is wide receiver Kendrick Bourne.

Bourne has been active the last few weeks, and he played for a few snaps. But it was more about easing him back into game speed. With Polk struggling and DeMario Douglas seen as Maye’s favorite target, Bourne will have a good chance at opening the game up.

After all, Bourne is still the team’s best receiver, and a return to form could open things up and make things extremely challenging for the Jaguars. With Kayshon Boutte finding a little of his LSU magic so far, there may be hope he can step into the x-receiver slot for Polk, who likely could start the game on the bench.

Bourne is used off the line, moving around the formation to open him up downfield and even used as a flanker.

The veteran receiver might have an explosive return this week, and if so, he will have the largest impact on the outcome. A good day for Bourne this week will lead to a Patriots offense we haven’t seen in a while.

It would be an offense capable of sustaining long drives and causing panic in the Jaguars, which could cause some additional turnovers for a team not expecting the Patriots’ right hook to be as painful as it could be with Bourne in.

Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne explains what impressed him with Drake Maye

Kendrick Bourne comments on Drake Maye’s NFL debut

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was impressed with the debut of rookie quarterback Drake Maye. He praised Maye after Sunday’s loss to the Houston Texans.

The veteran wide receiver only recorded two catches for nine yards with Maye still looking to get his feet under him. Bourne is also trying to work his way back to form after suffering a season-ending ACL injury last year.

The hope is that a strong chemistry will eventually form between Maye and Bourne through repetitions.

“What I really loved was even after getting hit, he didn’t seem rattled,” Bourne said, via NESN.com’s Sean T. McGuire. “It was almost like woke him up. He was already awake, but like, it’s just like anybody when you’re kind of nervous, when you first get out there then when you get that first hit, make first contact with somebody, the butterflies go away.

“I think he responded good. We got to protect him better, for sure. But that’s what I thought was most impressive.”

Maye did have some bumps in the road in his first NFL start.

However, there were many things to be excited about, including his ability to push the ball downfield and make plays with his legs. It’s clear that Bourne and others can see that potential, too.