Questionable roster decision has Patriots fans in an uproar in Week 10
Heading into last week's trade deadline, the Patriots were expected to move on from at least one of their wide receivers as the roster continues to be jam-packed. The belief was that K.J. Osborn or Tyquan Thornton were the likeliest to be traded, only for the new regime to hold onto all their assets and not make a move ahead of the 4 p.m. cutoff.
That means they came into their Week 10 matchup with the Bears with seven receivers on the team still, forcing them to keep some sidelined come game time.
This week, it appears to be Kendrick Bourne, who was reportedly told on Saturday that he would probably spend the afternoon on the bench as the team hopes to utilize their younger talent on offense instead.
Source: #Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne, who played 78% of the team's offensive snaps the last 2 games, was informed yesterday afternoon he may not play today as the staff prioritizes playing time for young players.
— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) November 10, 2024
Bourne is the only WR not to play through the first 5 drives. pic.twitter.com/aylDVTDJju
While that makes sense, given that they used two picks on receivers to select Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, what doesn't add up is the decision to bench Bourne and have Osborn in the starting lineup, especially after how well Bourne played last week against the Titans.
It took him a while to warm up since returning from his ACL tear, but it was apparent he had chemistry already with Drake Maye, which could be a valuable weapon for him to utilize. The rookie will need veterans to work with, and although playing with fellow rookies is good for long-term growth, abandoning Bourne for Osborn doesn't make a lot of sense.
It certainly is a questionable decision, given that they were considering trading Osborn just one week ago, but now they're giving him the starting nod over a guy like Bourne.
Fans have taken to social media to express their confusion about it, becoming just the latest part of the Patriots 2024 season that won't be remembered fondly.
1. Should have traded him for literally anything then.
— Pats Buzz (@PatsBuzz) November 10, 2024
2. Does Osborn qualify as a younger player?
This, to me, makes no sense. He will say all the right things, but if you’re worried about playing younger players, why re-sign him in the offseason.
— Alex Washington (@AWash013) November 10, 2024
I don’t think that’s a smart play at all. He’s a solid player and Maye needs that.
As first reported by @_AndrewCallahan, Kendrick Bourne was told he may not play this afternoon to prioritize the young receivers.
— Andrew Guindon (@NestPgs) November 10, 2024
Bourne, who’s caught 57.1% of his targets this season, has yet to play an offensive snap for the #Patriots today.
Nonetheless, Bourne continues to… pic.twitter.com/lCQHMwBMzI
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