Why Kendrick Bourne is reportedly hoping to re-sign with Patriots this offseason
Bourne is set to hit free agency in March.
Kendrick Bourne wants to remain in New England as he’s set to hit free agency.
The Patriots receiver told ESPN’s Mike Reiss that it’s a “goal” of his stay with the team this offseason.
“I love being a Patriot — it’s a great environment for a person like me,” Bourne told Reiss. “Being a Patriot helped me grow into the player I am today. I’m thankful for the organization, but you never know. I’ve been in free agency before and I didn’t know what would happen. And I don’t know now.”
Bourne was one of several players the Patriots signed when they went on a record-setting spending spree during the 2021 offseason, giving him a three-year, $15 million deal at the time. While several of those deals haven’t worked out, Bourne was one of the few who proved to be worth the value of his deal.
But even after Bourne had a career year in his first season in Foxborough (recording 55 receptions for 800 yards and five touchdowns), the last two seasons have been up and down for him. He only played in 44 percent of the Patriots’ offensive snaps in 2022 despite being healthy for nearly the entire season as he appeared to be in the coaching staff’s doghouse.
Bourne appeared to be in good standing with the coaching staff in 2023, though. He played in a career-high 73 percent of the offensive snaps in the games he was active for and was on pace for another career year before he tore his ACL in Week 8. He finished the season with 37 receptions for 406 yards and four touchdowns.
Bourne, who will turn 29 during training camp, told Reiss that he’s working to strengthen his leg and quadriceps to help strengthen the repaired knee, hoping to show teams in free agency that his rehab is going well.
But Bourne also admitted that it’s a lot of work, too, as he told Reiss he was in “the best shape of my life” prior to the injury. Still, he seems to be hopeful about the future, and he hopes that’s in New England.
“In 2021, I had my best year. In 2022, I struggled. Then last year I was on my way to having my best year and made a lot of changes in my life — I became a better man, a better football player, being married, just my mindset. The Patriots were a big part of that and I don’t ever want to take that for granted,” Bourne told Reiss.
“These last two years were rebuilding, so I don’t want to miss the time when you may be coming back, the good wave. It was rough but you never know where it could go. I feel like something good is coming in that building and I want to be part of it.”
Bourne has previously indicated that he’d like to remain in New England as he enters free agency. A day after the season ended, he posted a video of himself leaving Gillette Stadium on his Instagram story with the caption, “Hopefully see you soon 😢.”
Prior to joining the Patriots, Bourne spent the first four seasons of his career with the 49ers.
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