Patriots Predicted to Cut Offensive Playmaker

An insider has predicted that the New England Patriots will cut a current playmaker.

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (84) runs the ball against the Tennessee Titans during the 4th quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New England Patriots are going to have some tough decisions to make this offseason. As the franchise looks to make a push back to being a playoff contender, they have some players on their roster that they will have to decide on for the future.

One of those players is veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne.

Throughout his tenure with the Patriots, Bourne has shown flashes of being a key playmaker. However, those flashes have not developed into consistency.

With Drake Maye now the franchise quarterback in New England, the Patriots need to bring in consistent around their young signal caller. Bourne simply cannot be counted on in that kind of role.

Keeping that in mind, Chad Graff of The Athletic has predicted that New England will decide to cut Bourne this offseason.

"A year ago, the Patriots signed Bourne to a three-year deal. But that contract doesn’t have many guarantees after 2024, and the Pats could easily get out of the deal," Graff wrote.

"Bourne, who will be 30 next season, was never a fast receiver and his speed may have taken a hit after his ACL tear. He totaled just 305 receiving yards this season in 12 games. The Patriots could save $4.9 million against the cap by cutting him."

Heading into the offseason, the Patriots hold the most projected cap space in the NFL. Cutting Bourne would simply add to their financial ability to make other big moves in free agency.

At this point in time, there is no reason to keep Bourne around. New England is fully aware of what kind of player he is and it just isn't a fit.

Bourne will not struggle to find a new home. That new home just should not be with the Patriots.

Granted, this is just a prediction and New England could choose to keep him around. That just does not seem like a likely scenario given the current state of the Patriots.

All of that being said, there are going to be a lot of moves made by New England this offseason. Moving on from Bourne could very well be one of them.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Insider Reveals 'Obvious' Patriots Free Agent Target
• Seahawks Floated as Trade Team for Patriots QB
• Patriots Linked to Potential Trade for Cowboys Superstar
• Patriots Urged to Pursue Breakout WR in Free Agency
• Patriots Legend Bill Belichick Slams NFL Insider