Pats Offer Veteran Playmaker a New Deal Before Free Agency

The New England Patriots could make multiple changes to the offense this offseason, including the wide receiver position. The Patriots’ receiver room wasn’t great this past season, as they had guys go down with injuries and inconsistent play.

Heading into free agency, New England would love to re-sign veteran receiver Kendrick Bourne, but Mark Daniels of MassLive.com reported on Sunday the two sides “aren’t seeing eye-to-eye” on his market value, and it seems unlikely that the Pats will re-sign him before Mar. 11.

However, we have some new information about Bourne and the Patriots, as Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald reported Monday that the team offered the veteran receiver a contract before the NFL Scouting Combine.

Callahan adds that if Bourne doesn’t re-sign with the Patriots, he could get interest from multiple teams such as the Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills, and New York Jets. 

New England can’t afford for Bourne to land with their AFC East rivals as he’s been one of their most reliable wide receivers over the past three years. 

This past season, the 28-year-old wide receiver got off to a good start before suffering a torn ACL in Week 8. Bourne posted 37 receptions (55 targets) for 406 yards and four touchdowns. Bourne’s best season with the Pats came in 2021 when he had 55 receptions (70 targets) for 800 yards and five touchdowns.

Bourne isn’t a No. 1 wide receiver by any stretch, but when you look at the Patriots’ receiver core, he’s their No. 1 option. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see if the two sides can come to an agreement before next week.

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