Why Kendrick Bourne is key to the New England Patriots' offense

In 2021, Kendrick Bourne had a phenomenal season with the Patriots with a career-high 800 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Following the career year, Bourne got into trouble due to his poor attitude with Offensive Coordinator Matt Patricia and was effectively put in the doghouse. Now that Patricia is gone, Bourne should get back to his old form and show why he is the key to the Patriot's offense.

Bourne possesses a skill set that is unique to the Patriot's offense because he can effectively do it all. Bourne can run any route, he can run the ball on quick screens and jet sweeps, and he has great speed in the open field. New Offensive Coordinator Bill O’Brien is going to utilize Bourne’s strengths to help him return to the form he was in during the 2021 season. 

The Patriots' offense during the Mac Jones era was at its peak when Bourne was playing at a high level. I think if Bourne can return to his old form, the Patriots' offense will be better than most people think. Bourne could put up numbers similar to Patriots legend Deion Branch. This is a solid comparison because Branch possessed these qualities during his time with the Patriots. Bourne should lead the team in receiving yards this season, and he should help Jones grow in his third year.

The connection between Jones and Bourne is crucial to the Patriots' offense this season. Bourne and Jones clearly have great chemistry and they love playing with one another. Having those two return to the form they were at in 2021 will go a long way in the Patriots making it back to the playoffs.

It will be interesting to see how Bourne is handled in training camp and what his role in the offense is.