The New England Patriots entered training camp having a very stacked battle at the wide receiver position, with 12 players competing from anywhere between five to seven spots on the roster.
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We already know that Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas and rookie Kyle Williams are locks. Barring a trade, Kayshon Boutte probably has the inside track to making the team, as well.
That leaves, at most, one or two open slots remaining, which has spelled bad news for veteran wide out Kendrick Bourne all along. And sadly, his role in practice makes it even more obvious that his time in Foxborough may be coming to an end.
Bourne has not had a significant role in Patriots practice thus far, which has led to Sara Marshall of Musket Fire wondering if the 30-year-old could be on his way out.
"Many are questioning whether Bourne hasn't been involved as much to allow his teammates to become more acclimated to what McDaniels has planned. Or if this is a sign of what's to come, and Bourne is going to be the odd one out of a very competitive wide receiver room," Marshall wrote.
Bourne initially signed with New England back in 2021 and had a very impressive debut campaign with the Pats, hauling in 55 receptions for 800 yards and five touchdowns. Since then, however, things have largely unraveled for the Eastern Washington product.
He took a major step back the following year, and midway through 2023, Bourne tore his ACL. That didn't stop the Patriots from handing him a three-year contract extension last offseason, but he proceeded to catch just 28 passes for 305 yards and a score in 2024.
Bourne is a terrific locker room guy, but that may not be enough to earn the aging receiver a spot on New England's 53-man roster, particularly with the Pats in the middle of a rebuild.
