Tag: Kendrick Bourne

Patriots’ 15 biggest cap hits in 2023

What Patriots players have the biggest cap hits in 2023?

Things may not be perfect, but the New England Patriots are in a much better place financially than they were in the 2022 season.

Last year, wide receiver Nelson Agholor’s contract came with the second-highest cap hit, while tight end Jonnu Smith’s deal was the fifth-highest hit. Those contracts served as a punch in the gut for a Patriots team that hardly utilized the two veteran players.

Whether the onus should fall on the team or the players themselves is irrelevant in regards to the fact that it was wasted money for the Patriots organization.

We’ll see if that ends up being the case for some of the players with big cap hits for the team this time around. Here are the 15 players with the biggest cap hits for the Patriots heading into the 2023 season (via Spotrac):

30 Patriots players who will be pending free agents in 2024

The Patriots might have to make some tough roster decisions in 2024

The New England Patriots will have some tough decisions to make after the season with 30 players slated to hit free agency.

Some of the names on the list include key playmakers on both sides of the ball, like tight end Hunter Henry, safety Kyle Dugger, offensive tackle Trent Brown, offensive guard Michael Onwenu and burgeoning pass-rusher Josh Uche.

The good news is the Patriots are expected to be one of the richest teams in the league salary cap-wise next year. So they will have plenty of money to play with in an effort to keep all of their key free agents. They’ve already started in that regard in recent contract extensions for wide receiver DeVante Parker and linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley.

Here are 30 Patriots players who will be pending free agents in 2024 (via Spotrac):

Patriots skilled positions sit among the NFL’s worst in ESPN ranking

As previously constructed, the Patriots’ skilled group doesn’t look any better than it did last season, per a recent ESPN ranking.

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The New England Patriots may have had a busy offseason, but it still lacks in some areas, according to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell.

Barnwell ranked the tight ends, running backs, and wide receivers group from every NFL team as a whole heading into 2023. He placed New England at 26th in his rankings.

The Patriots were able to upgrade at the wide receiver and tight end position this offseason, signing JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki. New England also returns leading rusher Rhamondre Stevenson, in what looks to be a competitive AFC East.

Even still, that was not enough to move the needle for Barnwell, as he wrote in an article published on Monday. The diminished returns from the 2021 free agency spending spree still are evident two years later.

Barnwell wrote:

Bill Belichick attempted to give Mac Jones and his offense a shot in the arm in 2021 by going on a free agent spending spree. The Patriots added Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith at tight end and Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor at wide receiver. Two years later, Smith and Agholor are gone, while Bourne might be competing for his roster spot against DeVante Parker in training camp.

New England will look to put together a more polished offense in 2023, as they look to keep up with the rest of the AFC. Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien may be an important personnel addition in helping the team get back on track.

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Patriots WR group ranks unfavorably in latest PFF rankings

There isn’t much faith at all in the Patriots’ receiving corps in the latest PFF rankings.

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The New England Patriots’ wide receiver group is at the bottom of the NFL, according to the latest rankings from Pro Football Focus. The website had New England’s wide receiver group ranked 29th overall.

New England did add some new names at the position, including signing JuJu Smith-Schuster in March, along with adding rookies Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas in the 2023 NFL draft.

There are also options in wide receivers Kendrick Bourne, Tyquan Thornton and DeVante Parker.

The only teams that ranked below New England were the Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans. PFF’s Trevor Sikkema gave his explanation for ranking New England so low:

The Patriots moved on from Jakobi Meyers but were able to replace him with JuJu Smith-Schuster. They also have Tyquan Thornton, Kendrick Bourne and DeVante Parker. We need to take into account Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki, but overall, it’s just not a group that strikes much fear in the eyes of defensive coordinators. Only Parker and Smith-Schuster earned a 70.0-plus receiving grade in 2022.

Analytical grades and analysis only tell so much, especially when concerning the newest additions. New England and their fans will have to wait and see how things play out on the field in what will be a pivotal year for the team.

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Reading the room: Evaluating wide receivers on Patriots’ roster

Here’s a closer look at the Patriots’ wide receiver room and expected roles in 2023.

With OTAs in the rearview and the Patriots’ roster likely set for camp, barring a few backend roster additions—or a possible DeAndre Hopkins signing—we’re going to assess the wide receiver position group.

This is an opportunity to get into the why some players are on the 90-man roster and the role they could play if they make the team.

In the NFL, only 53 members make the active roster, with 46 active for game day (excluding the third QB due to a rule change this offseason). The Patriots can also carry 16 players on their practice squad. So even if some in this position group do not make the roster, they could stick around.

Let’s take a look at the current Patriots’ wide receiver room and what the philosophy could have been when filling out the summer roster for building the room. As always, it’s not all about finding one receiver. Scheme fit and role are just as important in filling out position groups.

Kendrick Bourne excited with the offensive changes in New England

A new year could pave the way for a new Kendrick Bourne for the Patriots.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne met with the media on Friday, showing off some added muscle in what he hopes to be a bounce-back 2023 season.

Bourne did not receive a ton of playing time last season. He tallied 35 catches for 434 yards and a touchdown. He played sporadically, and that was evident from the get-go. He had just one catch for 41 yards against the Miami Dolphins in the opener.

His best game in terms of production came against the Cincinnati Bengals on Christmas Eve, when he caught six passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. But things never got much better than that.

The wide receiver seems ready for change and is optimistic about the upcoming season under newly-hired offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien.

“It just feels good. Change is good. It’s something we needed, I feel like. It’s good. It feels good so far. If that’s what it’s gonna be, it’s better so far,” said Bourne “…New year, new me, new us, new everything, that’s what we’re focused on. That’s always the goal every year, to move forward and be better.”

Getting Bourne back on track offensively would do wonders for the offense. He played a big role in 2021 and seemed to fade in 2022. If nothing else, he is in line for a bounce-back year.

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3 salary cap moves for Patriots if they land DeAndre Hopkins

Here are some other moves the Patriots could make to maintain a healthy salary cap situation if they land DeAndre Hopkins.

With the New England Patriots rumored to have a visit lined up with All-Pro wideout DeAndre Hopkins, there are potential cap casualties and players who could be on the bubble to make room.

The Patriots have some options to maneuver the cap and bring in the star wideout.

As of now, the Patriots have around $13,287,568 in cap space, according to Miguel Benzan (@PatsCap on Twitter), and it would be enough to fit Hopkins on the roster.

However, each year the Patriots reserve around $13-$18 million in cap space for moves throughout the season, like practice squad salaries, incentives and other player operation costs.

So even if they were to give Hopkins the money he wants, assuming it’s within the $13.2 million per year range, they would likely need to clear up an additional $15 million at some point. This is easier for the Patriots than other teams to do, since they have less on the books for future years, and less roster spots in 2024 and 2025. They also have less dead money than a lot of teams who have been pushing money around to compete.

Even if Hopkins were to sign and they were to structure the contract to have a low Year 1 cap hit, there are a few likely moves that would happen in a ripple effect for the team.

Using Over The Cap’s interactive cap tool, we’re going to work off the assumption that Hopkins could sign a three-year, $39 million contract with $29 million guaranteed and $21 million due at signing.

Hopkins’ cap hits would be $8 million in 2023, $15 million in 2024 and $16 million in 2025, which is more than fine for one of the best NFL receivers of the past decade, even if he will be 33 years old at the end of the contract.

In 2025, the team could save $7 million with a $9 million cap hit for cutting him outright. They would then have Hopkins, Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas under contract for 2024.

To get back down to the $13-$15 million range, the Patriots would have some options after signing Hopkins to this hypothetical deal.

Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne shares thoughts on DeAndre Hopkins visit

Kendrick Bourne likes the idea of potentially playing side-by-side with DeAndre Hopkins.

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne didn’t shy away from answering a question in regards to the reported team visit from five-time Pro Bowl wideout DeAndre Hopkins set for next week.

Bourne admitted he was open to anything that would help the team win football games, but from a personal standpoint, he thought it would be cool playing alongside a player he’s watched in his younger days.

“I’m a fan of D-Hop. It would be cool. I don’t really know [the gist] of what’s going on, but yeah, he’s a great player,” Bourne said after OTAs practice on Friday. “Just what he’s done in his career and just watching him when I was younger and stuff, and he’s just a great leader. So if anything was to happen, he’s a great leader.”

Bourne could get an opportunity to share the field with Hopkins if the Patriots come to a contract agreement with the star free agent receiver.

I recently posted a piece on the three reasons why Hopkins visiting is a big deal for New England. The Patriots would essentially be getting an elite outside weapon and a true No. 1 receiving target for a sluggish offense that was in desperate need of playmakers last season.

Just by being on the field, Hopkins would make life significantly easier on Bourne and the rest of the skilled position players.

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Patriots 2023 NFL draft preview: Where do Patriots stand at WR?

Mac Jones could use another big target. Will the Patriots draft a receiver in the first round?

The wide receiver position has long been a thorn in the side of the New England Patriots.

Even when Tom Brady was still under center, the Patriots struggled to keep top receiving talent on the field. It obviously isn’t due to a lack of trying considering they’ve used a first and second-round pick on a wideout in two of the last four NFL drafts.

The team has struggled drafting and developing players at the position. They also haven’t prioritized spending a lot of money for elite, playmaking receivers. Will this finally be the year where they go after one of the top wideouts on the draft board and hit a home run with the selection?

Let’s break down where the Patriots stand right now at the position ahead of the 2023 NFL draft.

WATCH: Mac Jones and teammates bond with night out bowling

Mac Jones and some of his Patriots teammates enjoyed a fun evening out on Wednesday.

There’s nothing like a little team bonding to take the edge off after getting back into the groove of NFL workouts.

Several New England Patriots players, including quarterback Mac Jones, running back J.J. Taylor and wideouts Tyquan Thornton, Kendrick Bourne and Lynn Bowden, got together for a game of bowling on Wednesday to help take the edge off.

A little team bonding goes a long way for what is obviously a tight-knit offensive unit, regardless of the struggles they endured throughout the 2022 season.

They’ve stuck together through the good and bad. Hopefully, there’s less of the latter in 2023 with Bill O’Brien taking the reins of the offense.

The offseason workout program is currently underway for the Patriots, and the team is trying to get an early start on preparing for the season.

Jones will be tasked with helping to lead the team back to relevance after they missed the playoffs for a second time in three years. The climb will be as steep as it’s ever been in a much-improved AFC East division suddenly filled with contenders.

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