Kendrick Bourne ‘Comfortable’ in his role with Patriots

The Patriots free-agent acquisition at wide receiver is excited for the season and impressed by the prowess of rookie quarterback Mac Jones.

If the New England Patriots largest productive void on offense in 2020 was at the tight end position, then wide receiver was not far behind.

The Pats attempted to rectify that by signing a pair of prolific wideouts in free agency, Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne. While Agholor is known for his speed and deep ball abilities, Bourne’s arrival brought multiple expectations. Adept at playing both on the outside and in the slot, the former San Francisco 49er joined New England in the hopes of adding both reliability and versatility to the team’s wide receiver corps.

To date, it seems those hopes will be fulfilled.

Bourne and the Pats agreed to a three-year contract, worth a total of $22.5 million in the offseason. The 26-year-old was coming off of the most productive season of his four-year career. Appearing in 15 of the Niners’ 16 games, Bourne was targeted 72 times, compiling 49 receptions on 667 yards receiving. He ranked second on the team behind receiver Brandon Aiyuk in all three categories. He also scored a pair of touchdowns.

Along with solid stats, Bourne also proved to be reliable on the field. He took 688 of a possible 1,096 offensive snaps, while making five starts for San Francisco in 2020. However, Bourne proved to be a starting-caliber player throughout the season, as well as a top-two wide receiver option for the Niners.

Upon his arrival in New England, Bourne has seemingly fit perfectly into the Pats offensive scheme. Throughout training camp, the fourth-year wideout has shown impressive versatility. Bourne has aligned in the slot, and on the outside. Though his technical prowess allows him to win from either alignment, the expectation is that Bourne will primarily help fill the Z-receiver role, while occasionally assisting in the slot. However, with fellow receiver N’Keal Harry slated to miss some time while on injured reserve, he may be called upon to line up at the ‘X’ early in the season. .

Having completed his first preseason in New England, Bourne is ready and eager to accept any assignment which he is given. In speaking with reporters on Thursday, he stated that the Patriots offense has "slowed down a lot" for him, and he feels much more comfortable it’s each passing day in uniform. Bourne was quick to credit New England’s defensive backs for their impressive work ethic.

“They [Patriots defensive backs] are much more aggressive than others across the league.” Bourne said. “They are constantly in your face in practice..they force me to adjust at the line and in my routes.”

Though his progress continues to cultivate his confidence, Bourne’s enthusiasm for the upcoming season has been stoked by watching rookie quarterback Mac Jones operate in the Patriots offense. Having been named the team’s starting quarterback on Tuesday [after the release of Cam Newton], Jones’ leadership abilities have won him the approval and support of his teammates, especially Bourne. In fact, he has observed growth in Jones through the preseason, most notably seeing Jones run the two-minute drill. For Bourne, this stood out as a moment where he knew Mac Jones was ready to lead the New England Patriots into 2021.

"That’s a different kind of urgency... For any starter, I think you feel that pressure, but he was built for it, man, since ‘Bama. I think he’s more ready than anybody really knows."

As the Patriots prepare for their season-opener on Sunday, September 12 against the Miami Dolphins, they will undoubtedly be looking to install offensive schemes that will accentuate the strengths of their young quarterback. It is a safe bet that Kendrick Bourne will play a major role in the team’s offensive game plan. It is a safer bet that he will be ready and willing to accept the challenge.