After months of stalled talks, the Patriots have supplied impending free-agent huge receiver Kendrick Bourne a contract, per supply.
Bourne obtained his supply earlier than the NFL Scouting Combine, when league sources advised the Herald the veteran wideout ought to have robust curiosity if he hits free company on March 11. According to at least one supply aware of the huge receiver market, if the Pats don’t re-sign Bourne, historical past signifies they may lose him to a division foe.
The Jets have been among the many groups that confirmed curiosity in Bourne during the last 18 months, when a Patriots supply mentioned their entrance workplace obtained commerce calls on the finish of coaching camp in 2022 and 2023. The Pats advised these groups, together with the Raiders and Rams, that Bourne was not out there and stored him by means of his ACL tear late final October. Prior to signing with the Patriots as a free agent in 2021, Bourne additionally obtained curiosity from the Bills and Texans, per supply.
Two front-office executives, one within the AFC and one other within the NFC, projected Bourne will ultimately signal a brand new contract with a median annual worth round $7 million. It’s unclear whether or not he’ll land a multi-year contract or 1-year deal usually pressured upon injured gamers.
According to a supply, the Patriots initially approached Bourne a few attainable extension shortly after he tore his ACL. The 28-year-old is forward of schedule in his rehab and monitoring to be prepared for Week 1. Bourne visited the staff facility two weeks in the past for a checkup on his progress and met with staff management, per sources.
Prior to hurting his knee final season, Bourne was on tempo for a profession 12 months because the Pats’ No. 1 receiver. He completed with 37 catches for 406 yards and 4 touchdowns in eight video games. He rebounded from a down season in 2022, when he caught 35 passes for 434 yards over 16 recreation appearances. Bourne broke out throughout his preliminary season with the Patriots, rating second on the staff with 800 yards and 5 touchdowns on 55 receptions.
He initially signed a 3-year, $15 million contract as a free agent in 2021, a deal that included one other $7.5 million in incentives. The ex-49er has publicly expressed a want to stay in New England, the place the Patriots maintain probably the most cap house within the league at $101.7 million, per Over The Cap.
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“That is a goal of mine. I love being a Patriot — it’s a great environment for a person like me,” Bourne advised ESPN final month. “Being a Patriot helped me grow into the player I am today. I’m thankful for the organization, but you never know. I’ve been in free agency before and I didn’t know what would happen. And I don’t know now.”
Miami is one other staff to look at, based mostly on its teaching employees’s ties to Bourne. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel (2017-20) and receivers coach Wes Welker (2019-20) labored with Bourne in San Francisco throughout his first years within the league. Miami is believed to be pursuing a viable No. 3 receiver who can complement starters Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, whereas backups Cedrick Wilson Jr., Chase Claypool and Braxton Berrios all hit free company.
It’s widespread for negotiations between groups and participant brokers to warmth up across the NFL Combine, when executives, coaches and brokers all descend on Indianapolis for a number of days. A supply advised the Herald’s Doug Kyed that the Patriots additionally lately prolonged a proposal to impending free-agent security Kyle Dugger. His future stays unsure in a market that ought to ultimately yield a brand new deal between $12 million to $16 million yearly.
The Pats’ different high free brokers embody offensive tackles Trent Brown and Mike Onwenu, tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki and out of doors linebacker Josh Uche.
DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeMario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton and Kayshon Boutte are the Patriots’ solely different receivers underneath contract. Together, with quarterbacks Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe, the offense averaged 180.5 passing yards per recreation final 12 months, fifth-worst within the NFL. The Patriots are anticipated so as to add new quarterbacks this offseason and lately met with the highest passers on this 12 months’s draft: Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix.
Source: www.bostonherald.com