QKendrick Bourne
WR NE (14)
Mon 5/20/24 12:09 PM

Coach Jerod Mayo said Monday that Bourne (knee) will not participate in OTAs, Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald reports.
EDGE Analysis
Bourne is working his way back from a right ACL tear that forced him to miss the final nine games of the 2023 campaign, and while he said back in March that he expects to be a "full go" for training camp, it looks like spring activities would be too early a benchmark. That will cost Bourne an early chance to build chemistry with new quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye, but as long as he's indeed able to get on the practice field for training camp, there shouldn't be real concerns about his availability for Week 1. Bourne re-signed with the Patriots on a three-year, $33 million contract this offseason, though it only contains $5.5 million guaranteed at signing with a $19.5 million base value.

QKendrick Bourne
WR NE (14)
Wed 3/13/24 12:21 PM

The Patriots have minimal commitment to Bourne (knee) beyond 2024 despite re-signing him to a three-year contract worth up to $33 million, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe reports.
EDGE Analysis
The deal is loaded with incentives and light on guarantees, with a base value of $19.5 million and only $5.5 million guaranteed at signing. Another $2.5 million becomes guaranteed for 2025 if Bourne reaches 800 yards in 2024, though the Patriots presumably would want to keep him around in that case anyway. The 28-year-old had a career-high 800 receiving yards in 2021, his first season with the Patriots, and he was on pace for 863 yards and eight TDs last season until an ACL tear cost him the final nine games. Bourne said in February that his rehab was ahead of schedule, and in early March he added that he expects to be a "full go" for training camp and Week 1. It's not yet clear who he'll be catching passes from or competing for targets with, apart from the likelihood of second-year WR Demario Douglas and veteran TE Hunter Henry getting significant playing time.

QKendrick Bourne
WR NE (14)
Sun 3/10/24 9:10 PM

Bourne (knee) and the Patriots agreed to terms on a three-year deal worth up to $33 million on Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
EDGE Analysis
Before suffering a season-ending torn ACL in Week 8 last season, Bourne was easily the Patriots' best receiver. It wasn't a high bar to clear, but it made too much sense to bring Bourne back after he put up a 37-406-4 line on 55 targets across eight appearances. He was on pace for a career year and will head into his age-29 season later this year. Bourne has already stated he expects to be ready for training camp. Look for the Patriots to further address their wideout depth chart in free agency and the draft.

QKendrick Bourne
WR NE (14)
Thu 3/7/24 8:31 PM

Bourne (knee) expects to be able to do some work in the spring and will be a full go for training camp, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
EDGE Analysis
Bourne is rehabbing from a torn ACL that he suffered in Week 8 of the 2023 season. He was on pace to shatter his personal bests in nearly every statistical category before his campaign was cut short. Bourne is set to become a free agent in the league year, and he has stated that he would like to rejoin the Patriots and reportedly has an offer from the team.

QKendrick Bourne
WR NE (14)
Mon 3/4/24 9:35 AM

The Patriots have offered Bourne (knee) a new contract, Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald reports.
EDGE Analysis
The Patriots hope to re-sign Bourne before March 11, when the impending free agent can begin negotiating with other teams. The wide receiver suffered an ACL tear in Week 8 of 2023, ending what was on track to be a career year with personal bests of 4.6 catches and 50.8 receiving yards per game. Bourne said at the Super Bowl that he's ahead of schedule in his rehab and would like to re-sign with New England, though he also said part of his motivation for attending the big game in Las Vegas was to "get [his] name out there" for potential suitors in free agency. He mostly served as a No. 3 receiver before 2023 -- in San Francisco and then New England -- and that might be how a lot of teams view him as he rehabs from the severe knee injury in preparation for his age-29 season in 2024.

QKendrick Bourne
WR NE (14)
Wed 2/7/24 12:40 PM

Bourne (knee) recently said he's ahead of schedule in his rehab from an ACL tear and would like to re-sign with the Patriots this offseason, ESPN's Mike Reiss reports.
EDGE Analysis
The 28-year-old suffered an ACL tear Week 8 of his contract year, bringing an early end to a season in which he was averaging career bests of 4.6 catches and 50.8 receiving yards per game. Bourne is now scheduled for unrestricted free agency, and while he hopes to stay in New England under a new coaching staff, he acknowledged that he's not actually sure what the future will hold. He has a physical therapist living with him as part of his rehab process after Nov. 15 surgery, hoping to strengthen the quad and leg around his injured knee. Ben Volin of The Boston Globe reports that Bourne is in Las Vegas for the Super Bowl, with the wideout noting Tuesday that his rehab is going well and he hopes to "get [his] name out there" for potential suitors in free agency.

QKendrick Bourne
WR NE (14)
Thu 11/16/23 10:46 AM

Bourne (knee) underwent surgery to repair his right ACL on Wednesday and is expected to be ready for the start of training camp in the coming offseason, Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald reports.
EDGE Analysis
Bourne, who landed on injured reserve in late October, will miss the rest of the 2023 campaign but is already on the road to recovery. He tallied a 37-406-4 receiving line on 55 targets across the first eight games of the season, while operating as the Patriots' most productive wideout. The 28-year-old is on track to become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, but New England could have incentive to re-sign him, assuming his recovery goes smoothly.

QKendrick Bourne
WR NE (14)
Tue 10/31/23 5:00 PM

The Patriots placed Bourne (knee) on injured reserve Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
EDGE Analysis
The transaction is merely a formality after Bourne was confirmed to have suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Sunday's loss to the Dolphins. The 28-year-old had been New England's most productive wideout through the first eight games of the season, accruing a 37-406-4 receiving line on 55 targets. Bourne is scheduled for unrestricted free agency this offseason.

QKendrick Bourne
WR NE (14)
Mon 10/30/23 11:02 AM

Bourne (knee) suffered a torn right ACL during Sunday's loss to the Dolphins, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
EDGE Analysis
Bourne was initially hoped to have escaped with a less serious MCL issue, but his MRI results revealed a season-ending injury. The veteran wideout was in the midst of a promising 2023 campaign, having logged back-to-back games with a touchdown prior to his exit Sunday, and his injury is a brutal loss for New England's already thin wide receiver corps. DeVante Parker (head) also was forced out of Sunday's game, meaning Mac Jones may be working with Demario Douglas, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Jalen Reagor as his top WR trio Week 9 versus the Commanders.

QKendrick Bourne
WR NE (14)
Sun 10/29/23 4:56 PM

Bourne is slated to undergo an on MRI on his right knee Monday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
EDGE Analysis
Per Rapoport, based on the initial diagnosis, the hope is that Bourne is dealing with an MCL injury. If New England's leading receiver is forced to miss time, the team's wideout corps could be shorthanded in Week 9, with DeVante Parker also having left Sunday's game against the Dolphins with a head injury. If both players are out next weekend against the Commanders, Tyquan Thornton and/or Kayshon Boutte would be candidates to suit up after having been inactive versus Miami.