The New England Patriots’ offense is in desperate need of assistance, but the good news is that reinforcements may be on the horizon.
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo provided an injury update on wide receiver Kendrick Bourne this week, saying that the playmaker is “making great progress” as he remains on the PUP list.
“He’s running fast,” Mayo said, via Alex Barth of 98.5 The Sports Hub. “He looks good in his routes. When he’s ready to be out there, he’ll be out there.”
Bourne is recovering from a torn ACL he suffered early last season. He is eligible to return in Week 5, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he will be back on the field that quickly.
The 29-year-old played in eight games in 2023, catching 37 passes for 406 yards and four touchdowns.
Bourne initially joined New England via free agency in 2021 and had a solid debut campaign with the club, hauling in 55 receptions for 800 yards and four scores. He then took a step back in 2022, snaring 35 balls for 434 yards while reaching the end zone once.
Last year, the veteran wide out appeared to be on track to post similar numbers to 2021 before getting injured.
Bourne began his NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers in 2017 and spent four seasons with the 49ers, with his best year coming in 2020 when he posted 49 catches for 667 yards and a couple of touchdowns.
The Eastern Washington product is certainly not a No. 1 receiver, but he would absolutely provide the Pats’ aerial attack with a lift if he is able to return healthy.
The Patriots currently rank last in the NFL in passing offense, averaging just 102 yards per game through the air.
New England is 1-2 and will battle the 49ers on Sunday.
