Tag: Kendrick Bourne

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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Patriots make decision on Kendrick Bourne’s roster status before cut deadline

Patriots make a decision on Kendrick Bourne

The New England Patriots are reportedly placing wide receiver Kendrick Bourne on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list to start the 2024 season, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

This isn’t surprising considering Bourne has yet to be a full-participant in practice as he continues to work his way back to health from the torn ACL injury he suffered last season.

With this move, the veteran wideout will be ineligible for the first four regular season games for the Patriots.

Before going down with the injury, Bourne was the Patriots’ leading receiver. His numbers were on pace to far surpass his disappointing 2022 season as he racked up 37 receptions for 406 yards and four touchdowns in only eight game appearances.

The Patriots had three notable additions to the receiving corps in the offseason with rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, along with veteran K.J. Osborn.

There’s hope that all three can contribute right out of the gates. DeMario Douglas’ emergence as a top receiver should also give the unit a significant boost early in the season.

However, there’s no doubt that the Patriots are a much better football team when Bourne is on the field. His eventual return will be a great addition to an offense that needs all of the help it can get.

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Last year’s New England Patriots were the worst combination in pro sports: bad and boring. They ranked 30th in total offense, 28th in passing and tied for last in scoring. The result was a complete reset. Gone are long-time head coach Bill Belichick, and former first-round quarterback Mac Jones, who was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a late-round pick.

In their place are new head coach Jerod Mayo, who hired Alex Van Pelt as offensive coordinator, and the quarterback tandem of veteran Jacoby Brissett and No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye. Eliot Wolf took over the de facto GM role from Belichick, and he stated there’ll be “more reliance on playing young players” this season. So, what does that mean for passing game?

Patriots make five roster moves ahead of training camp

The Patriots made five roster moves on Tuesday

It was a busy Tuesday for the New England Patriots with media obligations and multiple roster moves a day before training camp officially opens.

Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Patriots placed running back Antonio Gibson on the active/non-football injury list.

They also placed wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, center Jake Andrews, guard Cole Strange and linebacker Sione Takitaki on the active/physically unable to perform list.

Takitaki is recovering from a knee scope procedure, according to Reiss.

The situation with Gibson is the one to keep an eye on considering the Patriots were already coming into camp thin at the running back position.

They have Rhamondre Stevenson as their No. 1 option, but without Gibson, they are down to Kevin Harris as their top backup.

Will the Patriots keep things as is, or could they go out and sign a veteran player, like Leonard Fournette or Kareem Hunt, on the free agent market?

Given Stevenson’s injury history, it might be a move the Patriots’ front office should consider making.