Big-Name Veteran on the Chopping Block: Patriots Set to Release Disappointing $19.5 Million Star
The New England Patriots will have some tough decisions to make this winter. While fans want the Patriots to add players, and they definitely will, there will also be guys who will be cut.
There are a few options for New England to cut ties with, including wide receiver Kendrick Bourne.
To put things lightly, Bourne hasn’t lived up to the hype. He signed a three-year deal a year ago and responded with a 305-yard season with just one touchdown.
He returned from an ACL injury he suffered in 2023, but he wasn’t the same player. Bourne had 406 yards and four touchdowns in eight games during 2023, showing he could be a potential 1,000-yard and 10-touchdown receiver.
In 2024, however, he didn’t show he could be half of that, and that’s an issue for a Patriots team that wants to turn this thing around.
Chad Graff of The Athletic believes New England has had enough. He predicted the Patriots would cut him this offseason, a move that would save them $4.9 million against the cap.
“A year ago, the Patriots signed Bourne to a three-year deal. But that contract doesn’t have many guarantees after 2024, and the Pats could easily get out of the deal,” Graff wrote.
Saving money while cutting a player who didn’t produce is ideal for New England. The Patriots need to replace him, but that shouldn’t be too hard, whether it’s in free agency, internally, or the draft.
