Patriots WR Named Top Trade Candidate

A New England Patriots wide receiver has been named as the team's top trade candidate.

Oct 27, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New York Jets safety Jalen Mills (35) defends against New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (84) in the second half at Gillette Stadium. / David Butler II-Imagn Images

After the New England Patriots pulled the trigger on a trade sending linebacker Josh Uche to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, they are officially on the watchlist of teams that could make more moves.

One player to keep a close eye on will be veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne.

Jordy McElroy of USA Today Sports has put together a list of the top trade candidate for each NFL team. When it came to the Patriots, Bourne was the player that was named.

"One of the few Patriots players considered a tradeable asset is veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne," McElroy wrote. "There has been outside interest in Bourne throughout the offseason. Some even wondered if the Patriots would consider packaging him in an eventual trade deal for a No. 1 receiver. That opportunity never came to fruition, and now, Bourne is stuck on a rebuilding team. It makes sense for New England to consider moving him for the right price."

Bourne makes a lot of sense as a potential trade candidate. He is currently 29 years and does not fit the long-term window that New England is looking at.

Drake Maye, the team's rookie quarterback and No. 3 overall pick, needs wide receivers that he can grow with. That doesn't mean other rookies necessarily, but Bourne will not be around when Maye truly hits his prime and is ready to lead the Patriots back to contention.

So far during the 2024 NFL season, Bourne has missed a lot of time due to injury. He has played in four games so far this season and has had a very limited role.

In that playing time, he has caught just four passes for 29 yards.

Clearly, the role that he has with New England isn't ideal for him. Even when he has been on the field, he simply hasn't made an impact. With another team, he could turn his season around.

There are a lot of contenders around the league that the could use help at wide receivere. Bourne would be a relatively cheap option for those teams and a potential impact addition.

As for the Patriots, they should move on for players that don't fit the long-term outlook for the team. Unfortunately, as much as Bourne is a great locker room presence, he is one of the players that should be moved.

New England needs to focus on acquiring as much draft capital as possible as they look to build for the future. Trading Bourne for a late-round pick would be a smart business decision.

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