Steelers Now
Kendrick Bourne, a potential Pittsburgh Steelers free agent wide receiver target, took a visit to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday, but left his team without a contract.
Bourne, who was cut by the New England Patriots last week, has been a free agent since he was released by the Patriots last Wednesday, but has not yet found a new home.
The 49ers sought a reunion with Bourne, who spent the first four seasons of his career in San Francisco from 2017-20.
John Lynch’s squad is dealing with a number of injuries to the wide receiver position, with No. 1 Brandon Aiyuk expected to be out until mid-season as he continues to recover from a major knee injury suffered last season. No. 2 Jauan Jennings has also not yet practiced this season while dealing with a calf injury.
Jennings has also been seeking a new contract and has made a trade request, but Lynch shut down the idea of trading him last week
Behind Aiyuk and Jennings, 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall and 2025 fourth-round pick Jordan Watkins round out a seriously thin wide receivers room. Watkins has also been dealing with a high ankle sprain suffered in the preseason opener, leaving Pearsall and Skyy Moore, who just came over in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs as the lone fully healthy wide receiver on the 53-man roster entering the start of Week 1. The 49ers recently also signed former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to their practice squad.
Bourne, 30, is entering his ninth NFL season, having spent four seasons with the 49ers and four with the Patriots. Last season was his least-productive year since his rookie season, as he finished with 28 catches for 305 yards and a touchdown.
Bourne started the season on the PUP list last year and was limited to 12 games. He suffered a torn ACL in 2023 that cost him the final nine games of the season. Before that injury, he had played in 15 or more games for five consecutive seasons.
The Steelers have an acute need at outside wide receiver behind DK Metcalf, and have been considering the likes of Gabe Davis and Valdes-Scantling to fill that role.
Compared to those other options, Bourne is more of a possession receiver and less of a deep threat. His 68.1% career catch percentage is by far the highest of the three, but his 12.7 career yards per reception is by far the lowest.
He has still predominantly been an outside receiver, which is a big part of what the Steelers lack, with Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson primarily working in the slot.
A 6-foot-1, 205-pound receiver, Bourne would slot between DK Metcalf and the Steelers’ smaller wide receiver options, size-wise. The Eastern Washington alum does not have elite deep speed, having posted a 4.68-second 40-yard dash at the 2017 NFL Combine, but his 6.73-second three-cone drill suggests above-average change-of-direction ability.
The Steelers have five receivers on their 53-man roster,...
