Bourne To Be Free: Patriots' Receiver Testing Free Agency?

Kendrick Bourne could go searching for a payday after serving as a rare bastion of consistency with last season's New England Patriots.

The New England Patriots probably wouldn't mind eliminating any and all reminders of last season's four-win slog. Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, however, was a welcome exception.

Bourne was a source of relief from a tepid offense, picking up 406 and four scores in eight games before suffering a torn ACL in the Week 8 loss to Miami. If/when the Patriots opt to bring a new franchise quarterback, Bourne would immediately serve as one of his top targets ... provided he signs a new deal, as the three-year, $15 million deal he signed in 2021 expired after the campaign.

If intel from Aaron Wilson of KPRC proves prophetic, don't expect an immediate reunion.

“Don’t expect a new deal at this time for Patriots and pending free agent wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, per league sources, as he is currently expected to test the market where strong interest is expected,” Wilson said in an X post on Friday. “Full recovery (is) expected from (a) knee injury for (the) first game of (the) season, with steady progress already happening.”

Dire as Wilson's report may sound, it's hardly any cause for full-on panic. Considering what he was able to accomplish with the Patriots' meandering passing situation, Bourne could prove to be a hot commodity come spring and it could earn him a larger payout this time around. 

The free agent market also enjoyed a financial jolt on Friday, as the 2024 salary cap is up to over $255 million (good for an increase of over $30 million). With some extra pocket money, teams could be more willing to open their wallets. 

Kendrick Bourne ‘Comfortable’ in his role with Patriots

While Bourne's suitors will have questions about his recovery, there's no denying his resolve: the former San Francisco 49er struggled during the 2022 campaign (putting up only 434 yards and a single score in 16 appearances) but made do with the remnants of a one-proud New England offense. Any team searching for offensive weaponry would no doubt love to have him aboard.

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