Patriots Coach Has Bewildering Stance on Key WR

The New England Patriots have a very puzzling stance on one of their top playmakers.

Nov 3, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (84) celebrates the touchdown of running back Rhamondre Stevenson (38) against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots benched wide receiver Kendrick Bourne in their Week 10 win over the Chicago Bears, which had many people wondering what the story was.

The Patriots opted not to move Bourne at the trade deadline, so it seemed like New England viewed him as a rather integral piece moving forward.

So then why bench him?

Well, Pats offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt attempted to explain the Pats' reasoning, and honestly, it doesn't make any sense.

"We’ll put the guys out there that give us the best chance. Kendrick did some good things [in Week 9] and he’s a big part of this offense,” Van Pelt told reporters (h/t Bernd Buchmasser of Pats Pulpit). “Just felt like there were some areas where he could improve and that was kind of based on that. But he’ll be a big part of us moving forward. He brings a lot of energy to the field, and his effort’s exceptional. That’s just the way it went last week. It can change week to week right now, but he’s a big part of our team.”

Wait: so you want to put the guys out there that give you the best chance to win, but yet you bench a guy you call a "big part" of the offense?

Something isn't adding up here.

The fact that Van Pelt also said that he "felt like there were some areas where he could improve" is also kind of weird. He's not a rookie. He's an eight-year veteran. How is he going to improve by sitting on the bench and watching?

The Patriots signed Bourne to a three-year contract extension during the offseason. He tore his ACL midway through the 2023 campaign and returned on Oct. 6. Throughout that time, he has logged a grand total of eight catches for 70 yards.

It's looking more and more like New England should have dealt Bourne at the deadline.

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