When the Patriots trimmed their roster down to 53 players on Tuesday, it was a bit of a surprise to see Kendrick Bourne's name on it, given he was a name mentioned on the chopping block and in trade rumors throughout the summer. What was even more shocking was that the final list contained eight wide receivers.
Not surprisingly, Bourne was released on Wednesday, along with Javon Baker, giving the Patriots a much more manageable room of six wideouts in Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Efton Chism III, and Kyle Williams.
There had to be an odd man out, and the oft-injured Bourne was one of them. The Patriots like the looks of their young receivers and brought in quality veterans in Diggs and Hollins this offseason. Even though Bourne had his best season in 2021 in working with Josh McDaniels, who was brought back to New England, a training camp injury put him further behind the eight-ball.
Will Bourne's release be a hindrance to the Patriots' development and a potential strong sophomore season from quarterback Drake Maye? I don't think so.
Kendrick Bourne's release won't make much of a difference
Bourne had asked for his release in search of a fresh start, and the Patriots were willing to accommodate him. In cutting the 30-year-old loose, the Patriots created $6.3 million in salary cap space. A reunion in San Francisco makes sense for Bourne, given the injuries the 49ers have at the wide receiver position.
You have to wonder if the Patriots had kept Bourne, where he would've stacked up in terms of the depth chart.
Diggs is the clear No. 1 wide receiver, even coming off a torn ACL. Douglas and Chism will likely split the slot duties, while Maye developed a strong chemistry with Boutte last season and into training camp.
Thanks to the combination of the Patriots' depth and Bourne's age and injury history, he was expendable. His release came as no surprise to me. He was a great teammate and locker room guy during his time in New England, but the offense will look a lot stronger without him.
Would McDaniels' return have aided Bourne's career? Maybe. But there are only so many footballs to go around, and Bourne needs to go somewhere where he won't be buried on a depth chart with a team focused on its younger receivers.
The Patriots will certainly miss Bourne's presence in the locker room, but Diggs and Hollins are reliable veterans that the young receivers can learn from.