What Kendrick Bourne’s signing means for the Patriots

The New England Patriots entered the free agency week with a clear goal in mind: to update a passing game that struggled hard during the 2020 season. Its changes in the early days were a clear reflection of that; New England added considerable talent in both the tight end and the wide receiver.

Among the players hired to reinforce the receiving group is Kendrick Bourne, who entered the open market after leaving the most productive season of his career. Now, the Patriots hope he can take advantage of that momentum to help put a wide receiver body back on the path that has had its problems for the past three seasons.

Difficult facts

Name: Kendrick Bourne

Position: Wide receiver

Opening day age: 26

Size: 6 ft-1, 205 pounds

Contract: 3 years, $ 15 million

Experience

Despite a productive four-year career in eastern Washington, Bourne did not hear his name called out during the 2017 NFL draft. Instead, he had to follow the path of the free agency to find a team. Find one he found: The San Francisco 49ers signed a three-year pact with him and gave him the opportunity to prove himself. Although his first season with the club was relatively smooth – he appeared in 11 games and managed 16 passes for 257 yards – Bourne was able to win a bigger role in the next three years.

Appearing in 50 games between 2018 and 2020, Bourne recorded 217 receptions for 1,600 yards and 12 touchdowns. Along the way, he became a trusted member of the 49ers’ passing game as a second or third rotational option capable of aligning the entire formation. And even though he missed a game on the Coronavirus reserve list during the 2020 season, he still posted new career marks on receptions (49) and receiving yards (667) that year – preparing well for the free agency .

Patriots preview

What is your role projected in New England? Bourne may not be the most explosive player, but his strong technical base, football IQ and physicality at the top of his game should allow him to become a productive player in the New England scheme. He fits what the team is looking for from his wide receivers and tried to acquire when negotiating with Mohamed Sanu in 2019. He is expected to help fill the Z-receiver role or move to the X and slot positions if there are favorable matches themselves.

Where does it fit into the wide receiver depth chart? Although Bourne is not his classic WR1, it does have value as a rotating piece on the current New England depth chart. As such, it will be used as a second or third option alongside free agency colleague Nelson Agholor and one of possession receivers Jakobi Meyers or Julian Edelman (or both, depending on the design of the move). Your presence can also help take the pressure off the former first-round pick, N’Keal Harry.

Does he have positional versatility? As mentioned above, Bourne has shown that he can move through the formation without any problems. In 2020, for example, he spent 40.7% of his offensive strokes on the slot machine and 58.4% on the outside. New England is also likely to use it in a similar way. His technical proficiency allows him to gain from any alignment, but his general versatility does not extend beyond that yet.

What is the value of your special teams? Bourne played only four special teams for the 49ers last year, but he has some experience in the kick game. Between 2017 and 2019, he played 204 combined snaps in the third phase of the game: San Francisco employed him in the kickoff and punt return units and also gave him a handful of snaps in the kickoff coverage. The Patriots, however, are likely to try to limit their exposure to special teams.

What does this mean for the New England wage ceiling? Signing a three-year, $ 15 million contract in New England, Bourne is a comparatively inexpensive option on the wide receiver. In 2020, for example, he will hit the team’s books with a salary cap of just $ 3.12 million – currently the team’s 20th highest cap. The numbers will rise to $ 5.67 million and $ 6.17 million over the next two years, but his contract will remain a solid medium-sized business.

What does this mean for the New England project prospects? Even with Bourne signed a three-year pact, New England must be on the market looking for additional help as a wide receiver at the time of the draft. With the exception of Jakobi Meyers, after all, the youngest players on the squad have not been impressed until now during their respective careers in New England. The pipeline needs to be kept open, although Bourne and Nelson Agholor are now also part of the mix.

Verdict of a sentence: Kendrick Bourne is not a big move waiting to happen, but his skill set should fit well with what New England is asking its wide receivers.