Tag: Kendrick Bourne

10 biggest Patriots salary cap hits with new player contracts in 2023

Who are the Patriots’ 10 biggest salary cap hits in 2023 with the newest contracts included?

The New England Patriots have reloaded their roster through free agency in an effort to wash the stink off from the 2022 season.

Whether they’re successful or not remains to be seen, but coach Bill Belichick is leaving no stone unturned with a real opportunity in front of him to change the ugly narrative surrounding the team.

One way to do that is beefing up the same offense that sputtered and ultimately collapsed under pressure last season. So Belichick went out and added playmakers like wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster, tight end Mike Gesicki and running back James Robinson.

On the defensive side of the ball, which was clearly a strength for the team, he kept the unit mostly intact. This was all done without breaking the bank and also leaving room to make even more moves down the line.

Taking the newest contracts into consideration, here are the 10 biggest salary cap hits for the Patriots in 2023.

Patriots’ 5-step plan for a successful 2023 offseason

Here’s a five-step offseason plan that could turn the Patriots back into contenders.

The New England Patriots are already well into offseason planning, mainly focused on the NFL draft, while also determining who of their own to retain or let walk in free agency.

As simple as it may sound, there are numerous combinations of moves that could occur this offseason.

This offseason, there is an optimal, five-step plan that should see the Patriots returning to the playoffs in 2023. Hiring Bill O’Brien was the first major step for the team to take. Now with a proven offensive mind in the building, the Patriots will look to fill multiple holes on that side of the ball.

However, the issues don’t stop there, and like every team, there will always be improvements to make.

Let’s get into the five-step plan for a successful Patriots 2023 offseason.

10 biggest cap hits for Patriots heading into 2023 offseason

These are the biggest cap hits for the Patriots in 2023.

With the 2022 season now in the rearview, the New England Patriots turn their attention towards the 2023 offseason, when they’re expected to have the sixth-most cap space in the NFL, according to Spotrac.com.

The Patriots are projected to have roughly $44 million in a year where they’ll need to address the offensive line, re-sign pending free agents and possibly even add an elite receiver.

There’s plenty of work to be done for the team after missing the playoffs for the second time in three seasons, and they’ll actually be in a position to make some big moves. It might not be raining money like it was in the 2021 season, but the potential is there for it to get close.

Here are the team’s biggest cap hits heading into the offseason.

Will Kendrick Bourne request a trade? Patriots’ WR responds

Kendrick Bourne discusses his future with the Patriots.

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne will not request a trade, and wants to be back with the Patriots for the 2023 season, per MassLive’s Mark Daniels.

Bourne was a big part of the Patriots’ offense in 2021, and emerged as one of quarterback Mac Jones’ favorite targets. He recorded 55 catches for 800 yards and five touchdowns. However, he saw his role decrease in 2022. He only had 35 catches for 434 yards and one touchdown.

The wide receiver had a difficult season for New England in other ways as well. He was inactive for the team’s preseason game against the Carolina Panthers in August, and he only played two snaps in the season-opener against the Miami Dolphins.

Nevertheless, he plans to be back in 2023, as the Patriots look to make changes for next season.

“No man, I definitely want to be back here. I like it here. I love it here,” said Bourne, per MassLive. “This is a team locker room, man. It’s not about one player. It’s not about two players. It’s about the whole team. I think the Patriots do a good job of making that known and making that understood. I’m a good role guy. I would love to be and I am going to be back.”

The Patriots could use Bourne’s production at the wide receiver position for 2023. He emerged as a viable target later in the season, and finished with four catches for 45 yards against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

There’s no reason to think he couldn’t continue that success in a much-improved offense next season, hopefully.

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3 big takeaways from Patriots’ 23-21 win vs Dolphins

Here are 3 big takeaways from the Patriots’ 23-21 win over the Dolphins.

A week after their controversial last-second loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the New England Patriots took on the Miami Dolphins at home. Both teams came into the matchup with the ability to control their own playoff destinies over the last few weeks of the regular season, making the game an important one.

Controversial officiating marred the game early on, as the question of “forward progress” that questionably ended last week’s game in Cincinnati’s favor again came about after an early-game fumble by Miami running back Raheem Mostert was negated because the official blew the play dead before the ball came loose.

A bit later in the first quarter, a catch by Miami wide receiver Tyreek Hill was called out of bounds, but an eerily similar one by New England wideout Tyquan Thornton was called inbounds and was even upheld upon review.

Ultimately, the referees did not have a substantial effect on the game in the long run, as the Patriots, benefitting from the play of Miami’s backup and third-string quarterbacks, were able to do just enough to give themselves the 23-21 victory.

Here are three big takeaways from the game.

3 standout stars for Patriots in Christmas Eve loss to Bengals

Who were the three stars that stood out most in the Patriots’ Christmas Eve loss to the Bengals?

The New England Patriots fell to 7-8 on the season in Saturday’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, and their playoff hopes were crushed in the process.

The first half of the game was the Joe Burrow Show, but the Patriots defense managed to shut out the Bengals offense in the second half, providing opportunities for the Patriots to sneak back in.

However, the team ultimately fell 22-18 to an 11-4 Bengals team that looks poised to make a deep playoff run. With two games left, the Patriots could play spoiler for the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills, or they could simply use those games as a chance to develop some of the younger players on the roster.

Here are the three stars that stood out on Christmas Eve.

The Morning After: Don’t let late-game effort overshadow root issues

An impressive rally from the Patriots shouldn’t overshadow the multiple holes that need addressing on the team.

Christmas almost came early this year.

The New England Patriots almost completed a 22-point comeback against one of the more prolific offenses in the entire NFL, as the defense pitched a shut out in the second half and forced a few turnovers.

As the game rolled to the final minutes, it looked like the Patriots could just run the ball, drain the clock out and punch it in to seal off a victory.

But the Cincinnati Bengals punched the ball out of Rhamondre Stevenson’s hands, ending the game there and cutting the Patriots’ playoff hopes off in the moment.

Let’s not get too optimistic, as the Patriots still have numerous issues that are mostly stemmed from offensive coaching. Watching this game should tell people that this is not quarterback Mac Jones’ fault.

There is a clear need to get help all around him. Offensive tackles, receivers, tight ends, coaches—you name it. Virtually, everything on the offense has struggled to amount to much.

Let’s get into the leftover notes from this Christmas Eve matchup.

3 big takeaways from Patriots’ 22-18 loss vs Bengals

Here are three big takeaways from New England’s close loss to Cincinnati.

A week after their last-second choke-away loss against the Las Vegas Raiders, the New England Patriots took on the Cincinnati Bengals at home on Christmas Eve.

A miserable first half left New England desperate for any kind of positive momentum later in the game. They found it in the second half, fighting their way back and nearly coming away victorious against a tough Bengal defensive front.

Unfortunately, a late-game fumble by running back Rhamondre Stevenson was recovered by Cincinnati, and the Patriots were not able to capitalize on their final offensive drive, ultimately falling to their opponent 22-18.

Here are three takeaways from the game.

Winners and losers in Patriots’ 22-18 loss to Bengals

Here are the winners and losers in the Patriots’ 22-18 loss to the Bengals.

Sadly, Saturday’s ending felt fitting for this year’s New England Patriots team.

They’ve seemingly done everything possible to get in their own way in completely winnable games this season, and the Week 16 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals was no different.

After nearly overcoming a 22-point halftime deficit, running back Rhamondre Stevenson coughed up the game-ending fumble that ultimately put an end to New England’s 18-point run. An improbable comeback was followed by a seemingly impossible mistake to seal the Patriots’ fate as a 7-8 team on the season.

It would be easy to simply point the finger at Stevenson, but there’s plenty of blame to go around for this loss. Here are the winners and losers of the game.

Bill Belichick pushes back on Kendrick Bourne’s postgame comments

Bill Belichick responded to Kendrick Bourne’s calls for better scheming.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick did not have much to say in regards to wide receiver Kendrick Bourne’s comments, following Thursday’s loss to the Buffalo Bills.

The wide receiver called out the team’s playcalling on third downs and suggested the team needed to “scheme better” in games. It’s no surprise considering the Patriots went 3-for-12 on third downs, as the offense struggled to get into a rhythm. Bourne  had one catch for 15 yards in Thursday’s game.

He has had an up-and-down 2022 season, one that has been riddled with a lack of playing time. He has 19 catches for 226 yards, far from the production he had last season. He had 55 catches for 800 yards and five touchdowns in 2021.

When asked about Bourne’s comments, Belichick pushed back on the notion that scheming wasn’t at the forefront of the coaching agenda in New England, during an appearance on “The Greg Hill Show” on Monday, via Dakota Randall of NESN.com.

“We work through the schemes every week depending on who we play and so forth,” said Belichick. “We run our schemes every week. I’m not really sure about that.”

The Patriots need to get a spark on offense, as they face a crucial stretch of games that will determine their playoff fate. For better or worse, it appears Belichick is sticking to his guns.

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