New England Patriots - NESN.com
Kendrick Bourne’s time with the New England Patriots has come to an end.
The veteran wideout was granted his release Wednesday after asking to move on from Foxboro, according to multiple reports.
His request followed a failed trade attempt that would have sent him to the Minnesota Vikings before they acquired Adam Thielen instead, as noted by Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald.
Bourne had survived final roster cuts Tuesday, landing among eight receivers carried into the regular season. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that he then asked for his release, a move tied to the 30-year-old’s search for a clearer role after being limited throughout August by a foot injury.
That injury was suffered in an early-summer scrimmage and kept him out of practice for several weeks, though he had since recovered and was expected to rejoin workouts had he stayed in New England, according to Callahan and Kyed.
Bourne’s training camp had already been uneven, as he was running with second-team units before going down.
His New England tenure included flashes of strong production. Signed in 2021 after four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, Bourne delivered his best campaign in his debut year, finishing with 55 catches for 800 yards and five touchdowns.
His role shrank in 2022 before bouncing back the following season until a torn ACL cut his momentum short.
He returned in 2024 under a three-year deal, appearing in 12 games with 28 receptions and a touchdown while continuing his recovery.
New England now moves ahead with a reconfigured receiver group, while Bourne enters the market in search of another opportunity.
His Patriots exit closes a run marked by highs, setbacks and an untimely injury.
