10 Patriots Playing Their Way Out of New England's 2025 Plans

Entering the season, a sizable portion of the dialogue surrounding the New England Patriots centered around the future of the organization – rather than the 17 games that the 2024 Patriots would take the field for.

What would the team look like in the post-Bill Belichick era? What would this team's identity be? Would Patriots fans see Drake Maye in 2024? What would Maye look like? Which players on New England's roster would establish themselves as cornerstones for years to come?

Many of those questions have been answered, but pondering the future can only cover up so much for the team's abysmal play and 2-6 record. After a Week 1 upset win over the Cincinnati Bengals, the Patriots lost six consecutive games. New England rebounded with a last-minute Week 8 win over the New York Jets, but the win felt far more about the Jets Jet-ing than some dominant performance by the Patriots.

There have been positives to take away despite the 2-6 record. It's early, but it looks like Drake Maye can play in the NFL, and second-year pro Christian Gonzalez has established himself as one of the league's best lockdown corners. Another second-year defensive player – Keion White – has also shown flashes of promise.

Make no mistake – there has been far more bad than good on this 2024 edition of the Patriots. New England has the second-lowest win total in the league (tied with seven other teams), and has the third-worst points differential in the NFL. Discipline issues – one and off of the field – have also plagued this team.

After a 2-6 start in 2024, here are 10 Patriots who are playing (and coaching) their way out of New England's plans for 2025.

10. Kendrick Bourne

Bourne inked a three-year, $33 million contract extension in March, suggesting that Eliot Wolf and the Patriots brass anticipate the wideout as part of their future plans on offense.

However, after the San Francisco 49ers lost All-Pro receiver Brandon Aiyuk for the season, Bourne has been linked to the 49ers ahead of the trade deadline on Nov. 5. Bourne played the first four seasons of his career with San Francisco.

The eight-year pro missed the final nine games of 2023 and the first four games of 2024 with a torn ACL suffered in Week 8 last season. In his four games since returning from injury, Bourne has been targeted eight times, hauling in four passes for 29 yards.

In the Patriots Week 8 win over the New York Jets, New England's wide receiver room struggled – including several drops by Bourne. Following the game, Bourne himself acknowledged on Twitter that he needed to play better.

Bourne was undeniably New England's best receiver in 2023 before his season-ending injury, but if the 49ers (or another team) offer reasonable compensation for the wideout during this rebuild, the Patriots should seriously entertain the offer.