The New England Patriots have plenty of salary cap space heading into the offseason, meaning they don’t necessarily need to release players for financial reasons.
However, creating additional cap room is always beneficial, and the Patriots have several players who could become cap casualties in the coming months.
Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report recently identified three potential cut candidates for New England, with wide receiver Kendrick Bourne leading the list.
“One of the main priorities this offseason should be revamping the receiver group, which could involve parting ways with a veteran like Kendrick Bourne,” Ballentine stated. “The Patriots have young receivers to develop and will likely pursue new options in free agency. Releasing Bourne would free up $4.9 million in cap space.”
Bourne, who recently completed his fourth season with the team, appeared in 12 games, recording 28 receptions for 305 yards and one touchdown. The 29-year-old initially impressed in 2021 with 55 catches for 800 yards and five touchdowns. However, after a disappointing 2022 campaign, he suffered an ACL tear midway through the 2023 season, causing him to miss five games.
Although New England signed Bourne to a three-year extension last offseason, the decision now seems questionable in hindsight. At the time, the Patriots were dealing with a shortage of wide receivers and likely sought to add depth to the position.
Despite this, Bourne’s 2024 performance was underwhelming, and the Patriots still have one of the weakest receiving corps in the NFL.
With New England expected to make wide receiver a top priority this offseason, Bourne could find himself among the roster cuts.
