FOXBOROUGH – Kendrick Bourne gave his yearly state of the receiver room address on Thursday.
If you want to get your finger on the pulse of what’s happening with Patriots receivers, picking Bourne’s brain is a good place to start.
The veteran, who spoke following the Day 2 training camp practice, is a straight-shooter. He’s not afraid to tell it like it is, and right now, the motivation in the room is simple enough.
Bourne knows he’s fighting for a job, just like everyone else not named Stefon Diggs. That’s the challenge they’re all facing to varying degrees.
“As a group, we need to take that challenge. Look at it that way. It’s not going to be given, you have to earn everything. Even for myself,” the veteran wideout said. “Seniority, or whatever you want to call it, that presence, it doesn’t matter.
“I gotta practice hard. I gotta show up in preseason, whatever that looks like. With Vrabes, it’s my first experience with Vrabes, so I’m learning how he operates, I’m learning how he does things. Adjusting and adapting, that’s what we need to do as a group. So not looking outside, but looking more internally.”
Currently, there are a dozen wide receivers in camp. There might be five or six spots available on the 53-man roster. Seven is a stretch, but should also be considered a possibility.
After Diggs, there’s Bourne, DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins (currently on PUP), Javon Baker, Ja’Lynn Polk, who has yet to see the field during training camp due to a new injury, along with promising rookies Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III.
That’s nine right there, with Jeremiah Webb, John Jiles and Demeer Blankumsee filling out the dozen.
Peeling back a few layers, Diggs, Douglas, Hollins and Williams should be set, and perhaps, Bourne, too if reps with the top unit with Drake Maye mean anything.
Polk and Baker, high draft picks last year, are on the outside looking in. But it’s still early, and anything can happen.
Bourne, who arrived in 2021, made note that the competition at receiver was more intense than any year he’s been with the team.
“It’s actually awesome. I think it’s better than its ever been from my experience being here. I’m really enjoying it, man,” he said. “You love to have challenges. You love the environment of competition. It really brings the best out of you.
“I think it’s just every man against himself, you know what I’m saying? Even against each other. It’s a crazy dynamic, in a sense. But if we could all have that mindset of all focusing on ourselves, challenging ourselves, beating ourselves, the cards are going to play out how they play out.
“I don’t have any predictions. I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do, and I think the room needs to have that mindset.”
No matter how it turns out, Bourne feels people should be upbeat about the offense, and the cast of receivers that remain in Maye’s arsenal.
Why?
Because of the “potential” everyone brings. Along with McDaniels running the show.
“I obviously have experience with Josh. My first year, the way we were spreading the ball around was really exciting,” Bourne said. “You can be on the bench, and have a role coming in the game. Josh knows how to put it together. There’s a bigger picture you have to look at rather than right now not getting a lot of reps, but the play you do go in, the three plays, how do you make them count? Because those are plays that can change a game.”
Case in point, Bourne didn’t get much run with the 1s Thursday during 11-on-11s, but he did on Day 1. But no matter which group, or which quarterback, Bourne has still made his reps count.
“That’s my advice to the whole room, just having experience with Josh,” Bourne said. “That moment will come. Are you going to be ready, or are you not?”
Bourne enjoyed his best year as a pro with McDaniels calling the shots, and Mac Jones under center.
He had 55 catches for 800 yards with five touchdowns that year.
While he admitted he struggled to get McDaniels’ complex offense down initially, he loved it once he got comfortable.
Bourne believes the same will happen for this group.
He sung the praises of several of his receiver mates including Diggs (“just his presence itself, does wonders for all of us”), Chism (“having that energy in the building, in the room is dope) and Douglas (”dynamic, great at 1-on-1s”).
“And that’s where Josh is powerful. He can punch and play us all. I can’t wait to see it come about,” Bourne said. “We’re getting glimpses of it … that’s what’s exciting about it. He knows our strengths, he knows where to put us, that’s going to have us all be successful.”
That all sounds good. But with this group, you still need to see it, to fully believe it.
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