Another Player Down; Next Man Up for New England Patriots After Kendrick Bourne Injury?
FOXBORO — The proverbial hits just keep on coming for the New England Patriots this season.
Having already lost both their top linebacker (Matthew Judon, torn biceps) and cornerback (Christian Gonzalez, torn shoulder labrum,) the Pats may now add their most productive receiver to the list of players who have fallen victim to devastating injury.
Kendrick Bourne suffered a torn ACL in New England’s 31-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. The Pats veteran receiver suffered the injury on the first play of the fourth quarter while attempting to secure a third-and-9 catch at the Pats 16-yard-line.
Bourne has been the Patriots’ top receiver this season with 37 catches for 406 yards and four touchdowns. He caught three passes for 36 yards with a touchdown before departing Sunday’s game. In spite of his productivity, Bourne had been entrenched in trade rumors, given both his value and the fact that he is playing in the final year of the three-year contract which he signed with New England in 2021.
The Patriots now face a tall task in replacing the value Bourne provides both on and off the field. His ability to win his matchups on various alignments within the Pats offense has made him a favorite target of quarterback Mac Jones. He also approaches the game with a strong work ethic and positivity which has earned him both the affection and respect of his teammates.
Still, with nine games remaining on their schedule, the Pats must quickly begin to examine their options. For an organization largely predicated on the “next man up” mentality, filling the void left by Bourne will take a team effort.
Demario Douglas
Bourne’s injury almost certainly thrusts the Pats sixth-round rookie into the top spot on the depth chart. As such, he should be expected to see a dramatic increase in his snaps and targets. Despite his 5-8, 180-pound frame, the Liberty product is most effective out of the slot in short yardage. In order to compensate for the usual height differential with his opponent, he has developed a knack of anticipating defenders attacking him — a strategy which has served him well to date. However, he also has the skill set to evades tacklers when he has the ball in his hands in open space. In short, Douglas' shiftiness and speed make him the most explosive playmaker on the roster.
JuJu Smith-Schuster
Though he has statistically underwhelmed during his brief Pats tenure, Smith-Schuster possesses the ability to routinely gain yards after the catch (YAC) — a trait which was expected to endear him to Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. However, Smith-Schuster has logged only 15 catches for 89 yards, with his first touchdown as a Patriot coming during Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins. After missing two games while in concussion protocol, the veteran receiver should see additional looks from the slot, where the Pats hope that he can recapture some of the prowess which earned him 141 yards above expectation, as well as an average of 5.8 yards-after-catch per reception last season.
New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (84) leaves the field after being injured during the second half against the Miami Dolphins: Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023
AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
DeVante Parker
Parker also exited the Pats Week 8 loss to Miami after absorbing a helmet-to-helmet hit from Dolphins defensive back DeShon Elliott. As such, his status for Week 9 is uncertain. Still, the Pats will need Parker’s veteran field savvy when (or if) he does return to the field. The Louisville product has both the size and toughness to make contested catches, while giving Jones a viable red zone target at the receiver position. Not only did he earn 10 contested grabs (each leading to receptions of 20-plus yards) in 2022, he also averaged 11.5 yards per target last season.
Jalen Reagor
While Reagor has yet to reach his full potential as a pro, he may now be in line for a bigger role than most may anticipate. There is a potential wealth of untapped talent to be unearthed within him. Though O'Brien is partial to a spread offense designed to facilitate YAC, he is also well-versed in utilizing pass-catchers with Reagor's brand of vertical (4.47 40-yard dash-type) speed. To succeed, however, the former Eagle-turned-Viking will need to work with Pats coaches on improving his hands. O'Brien may also test Reagor's speed and ability to add more motion into the offense, primarily at the snap. As a collegiate receiver, as well as on selected packages with Philadelphia and Minnesota, he has been utilized in the backfield, as well as in jet motion.
Tyquan Thornton
Perhaps no one on the roster may exhibit a greater gap between potential and performance than Thornton. With Having begun each of his first two NFL seasons with stays on injured reserve, questions surrounding the Baylor product and his 6-2, 185-pound frame. Nonetheless, the Pats second-year receiver has no shortage of speed or talent, especially when deployed as a deep pass-catching threat, or as a jet option out of the backfield. He will need to show the same type of potential, as well as durability, to maintain his spot on the depth chart heading into the second half of the season.
Kayshon Boutte
Despite having spent the majority of the season on “Belichickian Double-Secret Probation,” Boutte has the skill set to make his mark within New England’s corps of receivers. At his best, he is an explosive big-play threat. The 6-0, 195-pounder possesses a sizable frame to make him tough to bring down after the catch. He also has an inherent speed to be elusive when changing direction. His ability to adjust his body to make contested catches could be his ticket for catching the eye of the Pats coaches in the coming weeks. New England clearly saw promise in Boutte when they drafted him in the sixth-round this past Spring. With the injuries taking their toll, the time is right to test his capabilities.
