Upon being named the next Patriots' head coach after the end of the 2024 season, Mike Vrabel made it clear that an emphasis of the offseason would be surrounding quarterback Drake Maye with the right talent to help him become the franchise player they believe he could be.
The new regime certainly put in the effort to make that happen, particularly during the draft, and even kept 11 wide receivers on the roster until it was time to make the final team. That meant they had to cut some talented players from the offense, which unfortunately included Kendrick Bourne, who had previously thrived in Josh McDaniels' system.
Because he missed most of last season due to an ACL injury suffered the season before, he wasn't able to fully develop chemistry with Maye to increase his chances of remaining with the team. Then came Stefon Diggs in free agency, plus the rise of Kayshon Boutte and Efton Chism III during training camp, which fast-tracked Bourne's fate by the end of the summer.
He eventually signed with the 49ers ahead of Week 2, and ironically, due to injuries in San Francisco, has had the chance to work closely with former Patriots QB Mac Jones. The duo put on quite a show on Thursday Night Football last week, and made it fair to assume that Vrabel might regret cutting Bourne when he did.
Kendrick Bourne is proving why he would've been a solid option for the Patriots to keep in 2025
Despite only being with the team for two weeks, Bourne has been on fire since returning to the team that signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2017.
That was abundantly clear in the first game of Week 5, as Bourne recorded 10 passes for 142 yards in an overtime win over the Rams on Thursday, easily becoming Jones' go-to option for as long as starting quarterback Brock Purdy is sidelined.
49ers WR Kendrick Bourne caught 10 passes for 142 yards one day before the birthday of his mother, Luisa Bourne, who was at Thursday night’s game. An early birthday gift for his mom. pic.twitter.com/Ae125iP0sM
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 3, 2025
Their chemistry picked up right where it left off from their impressive 2021 season during Jones's rookie year. That was a career season for Bourne, as he recorded 55 receptions for 800 yards and five touchdowns, contributing to the Patriots' offense and their return to the postseason.
Bourne's performance in this game gave him more yards than almost every Patriots' receiver, with only three players sitting with more yards going into their matchup with the Bills.
While it's far from certain that he would put up that kind of production if he were still in New England, his bounce-back showing can't be overlooked, especially when the players who were kept on the roster over him have not produced anywhere near the same stat line.
Whether Bourne will maintain this level of play moving forward will be interesting to watch, especially since it's clear why Jones feels comfortable throwing to him. Purdy might not feel that way and prioritize other receivers, so we'll have to wait and see what happens.
Regardless, at this point in time, it's looking like it was a mistake on Vrabel's part to have released him.