Tag: Kendrick Bourne

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.

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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.

Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne comments publicly for first time since return

Kendrick Bourne comments on NFL return

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne discussed what the road back for him has been like over the last year, when meeting with media members on Thursday.

Bourne missed nine games last season after suffering an ACL injury against the Miami Dolphins in Week 8. He had 37 catches for 406 yards and four touchdowns at the time of his injury.

He returned to practice this week, and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt noted the incredible energy the wide receiver brought on the field right out of the gates.

He is expected to come off the PUP list and play in Sunday’s game against the Dolphins.

“It’s a blessing how far I’ve come. The journey has been tough,” Bourne said, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

Bourne’s return will undoubtedly add a spark to the Patriots receiving group.

The veteran leadership he provides will be important for a unit that is still trying to find its way. A strong regular season run from Bourne could go a long way in improving a Patriots’ passing attack that currently ranks last in the NFL.

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Report: Patriots activating 2023 leading WR to return vs. Dolphins

Kendrick Bourne is expected to make his return on Sunday

The New England Patriots are reportedly activating veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne for Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins, per the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan.

Bourne is expected to come off the physically unable to play (PUP) list after returning to practice this week. This will be the first game he’s played since tearing his ACL in Week 8 last year against the Dolphins.

So this is a full-circle return for the standout receiver.

Before the injury, Bourne led all of the Patriots’ receivers with 406 receiving yards halfway into the season. That number was ultimately passed by DeMario Douglas, who stepped into the security blanket role for the quarterbacks once Bourne went down.

Bourne’s return should give a major boost to the Patriots’ offense, assuming they can find some consistency along the offensive line. The biggest issue with New England these days seems to be less about the receivers and more about the pass protection up front.

If the blockers can’t protect the quarterback, it doesn’t matter who the team has on the field running routes.

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Patriots OC says there’s a different energy with WR Kendrick Bourne back

Kendrick Bourne is already making his presence felt on the practice field

New England Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt noted that the energy at practice has been noticeably different with the return of wide receiver Kendrick Bourne.

Coach Jerod Mayo didn’t rule out the possibility of Bourne playing on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, when speaking to reporters on Wednesday. With that being said, Bourne is making his energy felt right now.

Bourne’s return would be a major boost to the wide receiver unit. He tallied 37 catches for 460 yards and four touchdowns before his season-ending ACL injury last October.

“Man, the energy, the juice—you felt that immediately. Practice was different,” said Van Pelt. “He stepped on the field, the way that he carries himself, the energy that he plays with, that’ll be a huge boost for us in the receiving room.”

Bourne’s return would give Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett a veteran target on the field and a playmaker at a position that desperately needs help. Before going down, Bourne was the Patriots’ leading receiver.

The team hopes he can pick right back up where he left off.

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3 major contributors return to practice for the Patriots on Wednesday

The banged-up Patriots finally got some good news

New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo revealed that wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, as well as linebackers Sione Takitaki and Marte Mapu, will be returning to practice after being on the PUP list.

While fans should probably temper their expectations, Mayo didn’t rule out the possibility of those players playing in Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins.

“I wouldn’t say it’s unrealistic,” said Mayo. “We have to see how the next couple of days go.”

All three would provide reinforcements to their respective positions. Bourne has not played a down of football since last October, when he went down with a season-ending ACL injury. Mapu’s injury was undisclosed, while Takitaki is recovering from a knee scope.

Getting all three players back on the field would undoubtedly help a Patriots team trying to overcome talent deficiencies on both sides of the ball.

Bourne could especially provide a spark for the struggling offense. Before the injury, the veteran pass-catcher led the Patriots in receiving yards. That kind of talent added to the mix could be significant.

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Jerod Mayo shares a major update on Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne

Jerod Mayo provided an update on Kendrick Bourne’s health status

New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo shared an update on wide receiver Kendrick Bourne when meeting with the media on Monday morning.

Bourne has not played since last October, when he tore his ACL against the Miami Dolphins in Week 8. He was placed on the physically unable to perform list in late August before the start of the 2024 season.

He is currently eligible to return after missing the first four games of the season.

It’s not clear on whether he will return for Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins, but Mayo did reveal the plan is for Bourne to start practicing on Wednesday, which would officially start the countdown for him to come off the PUP list.

Bourne would add a strong veteran presence to a Patriots wide receivers unit that has struggled as of late. It’s important to note that Bourne was the team’s leading receiver before his season-ending injury last year.

His return would give the offense another veteran playmaker with the proven ability to help move the sticks.

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Offensive reinforcements could be on the way for Patriots

Help could be coming for the Patriots’ offense

The story was updated to add new information.

A huge boost to the wide receiving corps for the New England Patriots could be on the way with veteran wideout Kendrick Bourne eligible to return to practice after Week 4.

Bourne, who is currently on the physically unable to perform list (PUP), suffered a season-ending ACL injury last October, and he has been rehabbing his way back ever since. Before going down with the knee injury, Bourne had a career resurgence and led the team in receiving yards.

He was trending towards matching or even surpassing his career-high 2021 season, when he hauled in 55 receptions for 800 yards and five touchdowns.

“He’s done a great job and he’s close. We look forward to getting him back in the room,” Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

On Monday, Mayo also noted that left guard Sidy Sow would be returning to practice for the first time since August, along with injured left tackle Vederian Lowe, who is expected to be limited.

https://twitter.com/_AndrewCallahan/status/1838240660291293220

The Patriots have struggled to get production from the receivers under offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.

One of the biggest reasons for those struggles has been serious personnel issues along the offensive front. The quarterbacks aren’t given enough time to operate in the pocket and let plays develop downfield.

It has been an offense that has heavily prioritized running the football and passing to tight ends.

DeMario Douglas was a bright spot in the Week 3 loss to the New York Jets with seven receptions for 69 yards. Bourne returning to the fold would give the Patriots a nice one-two punch to attack opposing defenses.

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Patriots announce seven injury moves ahead of roster cut deadline

This is potentially good news for DT Christian Barmore

The New England Patriots made multiple injury transactions ahead of Tuesday’s 53-man roster deadline.

They placed wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, guard Cole Strange and linebacker Sione Takitaki on the reserve/physically unable to perform list. Defensive tackle Christian Barmore was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list.

Linebacker Marte Mapu, defensive tackle Armon Watts and offensive tackle Calvin Anderson were placed on injured reserve.

Barmore and Mapu are both designated for returns. So the Patriots defense could be getting a huge lift down the road with the two players potentially coming back.

This is a positive sign for Barmore in particular considering he’s out indefinitely after being diagnosed with blood clots. There is no clear timetable for his eventual return, but this latest designation leaves the door open for him to return this season.

That’s great news for a Patriots defense that heavily depends on his presence up front to win in the trenches.

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