Tag: Kendrick Bourne

Kendrick Bourne deeply critical of his preseason play: ‘It really pissed me off’

Kendrick Bourne was NOT happy with himself after a quiet preseason opener.

New England Patriots receiver Kendrick Bourne didn’t get much in the way of work during the first preseason game. But in that small sample size, Bourne seems to have come away unhappy.

Bourne had two targets for one 11-yard catch. The incomplete target was a third down when quarterback Mac Jones looked for Bourne on a slant route, which got disrupted by physical cornerback play from Washington. Bourne played just 16 offensive snaps (27%).

“Honestly, I didn’t like how I played, man,” Bourne told reporters on Sunday after practice. “Definitely a couple plays I want to take back, the third down, I just ran a bad route. Just was kind of rushing everything, overthinking. I’m definitely appreciative of preseason and taking it for what it is. It easily could have been another COVID year and I wouldn’t have had that, so just grateful for that. And not being so much of a pressure game. It was just a getting-the-jitters-out and stuff like that. I appreciate preseason just because of that.”

Bourne is in the mix to serve as one of the team’s starters at receiver after they signed him in free agency for three years and $15 million. The Patriots put Jakobi Meyers and N’Keal Harry in for the opening drive with starters, including quarterback Cam Newton. Meyers put together an impressive game, while Harry clearly struggled. Receiver Nelson Agholor, who was not healthy enough to play, is also expected to compete for the No. 1 receiver job.

With such a competitive group, Bourne may not have been happy with the film he put together.

“I’m my biggest critic. I don’t want to lose, not one time,” he said. “That’s how you have to be here. We want to win every single time, we want to win every rep. Me not winning my four reps that I had, it really pissed me off. Next game I’m coming with a vengeance.”

New England is practicing with the Philadelphia Eagles this week, and the two teams will match up in preseason Week 2 on Thursday night.

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49ers almost got cut Kendrick Bourne before his 2nd season

Kendrick Bourne went from almost cut to an integral part of the #49ers WR corps. They’ll need to find another player like that in this year’s group.

Kendrick Bourne left the 49ers this offseason after carving out a nice four-year career in San Francisco. The club has had a difficult time replacing him this offseason, but they almost had to replace him much sooner.

Bourne, an undrafted rookie in 2017, played sparingly in his first year. He caught 16 balls for 257 yards in 11 games for a bad 49ers club. He broke out in his second year thanks in part to some injuries ahead of him on the depth chart. It turns out those injuries were the only reason he made the team in the first place.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan relayed the story while discussing the team’s current WR group during his press conference after Thursday’s practice:

I mean, Bourne didn’t have the best camp and he was on the outside looking in. And then Jalen was hurt and Trent Taylor got hurt. So, we kept Bourne, but if everyone had been healthy, it would have been hard for Bourne to make the team. But we kept him because a couple of guys were hurt. Then Week 4, I’m expecting to get them back and the injuries are a lot worse for Trent and Jalen than we thought. And damn I’m glad I didn’t cut Bourne Week 1 because he ended up being our most consistent guy for the following two years. That’s the stress of injuries and trying to take care of these guys because you know how good they are, but you’ve also got to know what that final 53 means.

While this year’s receiving corps has yet to take shape, it’s worth noting how Bourne’s second year went and what he developed into.

He wound up leading the 2018 49ers in receiving with 42 receptions for 487 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games with eight starts. Bourne parlayed that into the third WR role on the 2019 club that went to the Super Bowl. He hauled in 30 catches for 358 yards and five touchdowns that season, and followed it up with career-highs in receptions (49) and yards (667) in 2020.

Bourne’s story is worth keeping in mind as the 49ers sift through their receiver depth chart in camp. He went from the roster bubble to an integral part of the receiving corps in the span of a couple weeks. If the 49ers find a player like him on this year’s roster, it’ll put what looks to be a thin group in a pretty good spot going into the year.

Report: Julio Jones wants to play with ex-Panthers QB Cam Newton

Very few players have experienced Cam Newton from afar like Julio Jones.

Very few players have experienced Cam Newton from afar like Julio Jones.

From watching his Alabama Crimson Tide blow a 24-point lead to Newton’s Auburn Tigers in an SEC classic in 2010, to being drafted sixth overall on the very same night Cam went No. 1 and to the decade’s worth of divisional battles between their Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers, Jones has had quite the view of the superstar quarterback. Now, he may want him to be his quarterback.

On Thursday, NBC Sports Boston’s Michael Holley reported that Jones would like to team up with Newton in New England. The five-time All-Pro wideout has recently been the subject of trade talks, as the Falcons have fielded calls regarding a potential divorce in hopes of clearing up cap space.

According to Holley, he has heard that Jones wants to play with Newton as the Patriots look to keep on retooling following a disappointing 7-9 campaign a year ago.

“You know who he really wants to play with? You won’t believe this. I heard this today, I said ‘Are you kidding me?’ He wants to play with Cam Newton,” Holley said. “He likes Cam.”

Holley also noted that Jones has concerns about his longtime quarterback Matt Ryan, claiming the receiver thinks the 36-year-old has “lost a little zing on his deep ball.”

Ryan slander aside, who would’ve thought this connection could ever be possible, at least a handful of seasons ago? Two of the greatest players of the Panthers and Falcons franchises, respectively, joining forces as Patriots. Actually, sounds exactly like something the evil Bill Belichick would do!

Belichick has also done a bang-up job this offseason of giving Newton some much needed help around him, something he definitely didn’t have in 2020. Thanks to a splurge in free agency, he’ll have some brand new, actually capable targets to throw to including tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry and receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne.

Adding one of the most freakishly talented players in NFL history would certainly be one hell of a cherry on top. And even in the latter half of his career at age 32, Jones still has more than enough left to help make the Patriots the Patriots again.

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Kendrick Bourne reveals his Patriots jersey number on Instagram

A number with some history.

New England Patriots receiver Kendrick Bourne posted to Instagram with a photoshopped look of him in his new uniform, which included a reveal of his new number.

He’ll be wearing 84, a number previously worn by tight end Ben Watson and receivers Cordarrelle Patterson and Deion Branch, among others.

Bourne joined the Patriots this offseason on a two-year, TK million deal. He joined a group of receivers which includes Nelson Agholor, Jakobi Meyers, N’Keal Harry, Gunner Olszewski, Kristian Wilkerson and Isaiah Zuber.

Here’s a look at Bourne’s new jersey getup in photoshop form.

https://www.instagram.com/p/COLWtNjpblU/?utm_source=ig_embed

Looking sharp!

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Kendrick Bourne peels back curtain with video from Patriots’ workout in L.A.

An interesting look into the L.A. workouts.

New England Patriots receiver Kendrick Bourne posted a video from his workout in Los Angeles with quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham and Cam Newton, tight ends Hunter Henry and Matt LaCossee and receivers Nelson Agholor, N’Keal Harry and Jakobi Meyers, among others.

The video shows some of what the group worked on, whether it was cone drills, route-running drills or throwing and pass-catching work. We heard from their on-site coach, T. J. Houshmandzadeh, a former NFL receiver turned trainer. And we got a peak into Stidham’s feedback for the receivers. There doesn’t seem to be much in the way of video from Newton’s work — he showed up a day late.

Here’s a quick look at what Bourne allowed us to see from that workout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9bu5k90Bw8

Pretty interesting, right?

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Kendrick Bourne shares video of Cam Newton coaching the WR in workout

Kendrick Bourne is working out with Cam Newton

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne thinks quarterback Cam Newton can get back to playing at a high level. It appears they’re already working well together. He posted a video on Twitter on Friday showing he was working out with the quarterback.

Bourne has been a part of several workouts with Patriots quarterbacks over the past couple of weeks. He is eager to learn, and has enlisted the help of quarterback Jarrett Stidham to help learn the playbook. He has been very active since signing with New England, and seems eager to learn the offense as quickly as possible.

Much like he has been learning from Stidham, Friday’s video showed he is learning from Newton as well.

As a new face in the organization, Bourne is certainly doing his homework as he plans to be a factor in the offense.

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ESPN analyst says Patriots had the ‘most head-scratching move’ of free agency

His logic isn’t terrible on this one.

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The New England Patriots made the most headlines during the first week of free agency without question.

Typically, Bill Belichick stays quiet at the beginning of free agency and he makes his moves when the dust settles. Without Tom Brady at the helm and with a ton of money at Belichick’s disposal, he played it differently this season. New England immediately spent big money on Jonnu Smith, Matthew Judon and Hunter Henry. The Patriots also were uncharacteristic in giving big contracts to wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne.

New England signed Agholor on a two-year deal that could be worth up to $24 million, with $7 million due in 2021 and $15 million in 2022. The 27-year-old is coming off his best season with 48 catches for 896 yards and eight touchdowns. Bourne signed a three-year deal for $22.5 million and he’s coming off his best season with 49 catches for 667 yards and two touchdowns.

ESPN analyst Mike Clay believes the Patriots made the ‘most head-scratching’ move of free agency.

The Patriots overpaying role-playing wide receivers. Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne are fine No. 3 or No. 4 options on most teams. But New England seemed to misjudge a soft wide receiver market by committing $16 million to the inconsistent Agholor (more than Will Fuller V and Marvin Jones Jr.earned, among others) and $5 million to Bourne (more than John Brown, Breshad Perriman and Tyrell Williams agreed to, among others).

Considering the players the Patriots could’ve targeted for these prices, it’s really difficult to believe Agholor and Bourne were the best players available. But, now it’s up to Belichick and Josh McDaniels to prove why they have one of the best coaching staffs in the business.

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What Wes Welker and Jimmy Garoppolo told Kendrick Bourne about the Patriots

A few 49ers told Kendrick Bourne what to expect in New England.

Kendrick Bourne admitted to having a few misconceptions about the New England Patriots heading into free agency, but after he signed with his new team, he heard from a few former Patriots, who filled Bourne in on some of the ins and outs of the organization.

Bourne, who started his career with the San Francisco 49ers, got in touch with 49ers receivers coach Wes Welker and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

“They told me practices are hard. You’re going to get tested every day with the playbook, stuff like that,” Bourne said in Monday’s video call with reporters.

Welker told Bourne: “Great place, great decision.”

Bourne is joining a large free agency class that includes receiver Nelson Agholor and tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry. There will be plenty of talented players who are adjusting to New England’s culture.

Quarterback Cam Newton, for now, seems to be at the center of this new-look offense. But Bourne’s arrival didn’t stop some from wondering whether the Patriots might be interested in acquiring Garoppolo, who got his NFL start in New England but whose standing with the 49ers is shaky. Garoppolo and Bourne developed a rapport in San Francisco.

“Jimmy, cool guy, man. Had a great relationship with him,” Bourne said. “He said his experience in New England was awesome. He didn’t really expect the trade to happen or anything like that, but said his experience there was awesome, learned a lot, developed as a player better, as a man, and I’m just excited.”

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Kendrick Bourne believes Cam Newton will ‘ball out’ in 2021

Kendrick Bourne spoke in support of Cam Newton on Monday.

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Heading into the 2021 season, one of the newest New England Patriots wide receivers has faith in quarterback Cam Newton. Kendrick Bourne, who signed with New England in free agency, believes Newton can turn it around for 2021.

After struggling in the passing game last season, Newton may have a chance to redeem himself this season. Buoyed by a new group of wide receivers, a revamped its passing game may prove to help the quarterback.

Speaking to the media in his introductory video conference on Monday, Bourne threw his support behind Newton. He believes Newton will be able to play at a high level. The wide receiver indicated that a new group of weapons could be a big factor  in a possible bounce-back season.

“I think he’s going to ball out,” the newly signed wide receiver said Monday in his introductory video conference. “With the weapons they brought in, the help now — (2020) was just one of those rebuilding years that they went through, and he was a part of it. So people may say (Newton) didn’t look this good, he looked bad or whatever it may be. But now he has some help, and they know what they’re putting around him, which is awesome. I just want to be a part of five touchdowns, 10 touchdowns for him and change the narrative.”

As the new additions get acclimated to their surroundings in New England, it is encouraging to hear the wide receiver throw his support behind Newton. In what is going to be an important season for many players on the roster, Newton will certainly have something to prove.

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Jarrett Stidham leads a workout with Patriots pass-catchers in L.A.

Jarrett Stidham is already working with the newcomers.

As the New England Patriots numerous signings get acclimated to their surroundings, some of the newest offensive weapons are working out with quarterback Jarrett Stidham.

On Monday, tight end Hunter Henry and wide receiver Kendrick Bourne were part of Stidham’s workout in Newport Beach, Calif., wasting no time in trying to learn the playbook.

Henry spoke to the media on Monday, and indicated that he was very excited to work with his new teammates. Henry is in a position to be a major part of the Patriots tight end position, as he looks to bring a spark to a position that struggled last year.

“Man, it’s awesome,” Henry added. “That’s the best part of football sometimes. Just the guys, the locker room, the guys you get to meet. All that kind of stuff is a blast. Looking forward to kind of immersing myself in that locker room, the culture, everything. It’s exciting. It’s good to be able to do that now even in the offseason.”

Stidham messaged Bourne last week on Instagram, inviting him to the workout and welcoming him to the team. In what is going to be a week-long group of workouts, the wide receiver is set to learn a lot.

“He’s going to give me some tips, help me out and we’re just going to work out for the week,” Bourne said Monday. “It’s going to be awesome. It’s going to get me right. The offense is probably complex. I haven’t seen the playbook. I haven’t seen everything, but football’s hard. … You’ve just got to have that mindset. I’m a hard worker. Work ethic has to be through the roof.”

For his part, Bourne figures to be a big part of the Patriots wide receiver unit. His sure hands and ability to get separation could bode well for his time in New England.

As the Patriots look to turn the page on last season, it appears that Stidham is already looking forward to 2021. For a quarterback position that desperately needs a spark, Stidham is focusing on working with key weapons.

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