The New England Patriots made a point to provide second-year quarterback Drake Maye with more weapons on the outside so that this offense could be a bit more dangerous once the 2025 regular season kicks off this September.
With free agent additions like Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins joining the wide receiver room, New England's front office decided they needed another playmaker on the outside. They went out and did just that in the 2025 NFL Draft by selecting former Washington State standout Kyle Williams with the No. 69 overall pick.
Now that the wide receiver room has been overhauled, one high-priced veteran is no longer as necessary a piece to the puzzle as he was when he agreed to an extension with the Patriots.
Kyle Williams Has Made $19.5 Million Vet Kendrick Bourne Expendable
Bourne signed a three-year, $19.5 million extension with New England before the 2024 season and has a cap hit of $7.7 million for this coming year. Coming out of minicamp, the case can be made that Bourne will be behind Williams on the depth chart by the time we reach Week 1.
This begs the question: Does it make sense to spend that much money on a backup wide receiver? Conventional wisdom would suggest that it does not, especially when we have seen players further down the depth chart, like Efton Chism III, stand out during the team's offseason program.
The fact that Bourne will be on the wrong side of 30 years of age by the time the regular season begins, coupled with the fact that he has only appeared in 20 of a possible 34 games over the past two seasons, doesn't help his cause.
We'll have to wait and see whether Bourne can turn the tide once training camp opens and reestablish himself as a dependable offensive option on the outside. If he cannot do that, it is likely time for the Patriots to determine their options in the trade market.