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5 Patriots Whose Jobs Aren’t Safe After Surviving Trade Deadline

These five Patriots players might not have much of a future in New England despite surviving the 2024 NFL trade deadline.

By Devon Platana

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (84) runs the ball against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium.
New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (84) runs the ball against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Despite being one of the NFL's worst teams this season, the New England Patriots didn't do much selling at the trade deadline. Other than shipping off pass rusher Josh Uche to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Patriots opted to stick with the status quo in hopes of turning things around in the second half of the campaign.

Even though the season has been far from perfect, certain Patriots have done enough to secure their future with the franchise. Conversely, other players are struggling to prove their worth, leaving their outlook in New England up in the air.

Let's take a look at five Patriots who aren't safe even after surviving the trade deadline.

1. Kendrick Bourne, WR

The Patriots had high hopes for Kendrick Bourne ahead of the 2024 NFL season. The ex-Eastern Washington wideout registered 406 receiving yards and four touchdowns in eight games in 2023 before suffering a season-ending ACL injury, however, that performance was good enough to earn him a three-year, $33 million contract in the offseason.

Bourne finally made his return to action in Week 5 and fans were ready to see what he could do. Unfortunately, he's done anything but impress since then. In his first five outings, the 29-year-old playmaker has only caught 8-of-14 targets (57.1%) for 70 receiving yards without a touchdown.

Although it's a small sample size, Bourne is only averaging 14.0 yards per game and 5.0 yards per target — the two worst averages of his eight-year career. It doesn't help that he's carrying an abysmal 70.5 passer rating when targeted, regardless of who's under center for the Patriots.

Things reached a new low when Bourne failed to record a single snap in Week 10 despite being active against the Chicago Bears. Considering how the Patriots won that game without his presence, head coach Jerod Mayo might be inclined to keep the Portland, OR native on the sidelines.

Even though Bourne has two years remaining on his contract, that doesn't mean he's safe. According to Spotrac, the Patriots can save $5.1 million if they trade or release him in the offseason and that number jumps up to $6.5 million if they wait until after June 1, 2025.

If the ACL injury truly took away the remainder of Bourne's best days, the Patriots might opt for a divorce next year.

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