On Thursday, the Patriots opened their second day of training camp on the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium, and were once again focusing a lot more of their time on position group drills rather than 11-on-11s.
During the limited team drill periods, wide receivers in particular had a pretty quiet day, as screen plays and swing passes accounted for a huge chunk of Thursday’s passing game.
But for wideouts up and down the roster, every rep this training camp matters. Because when it comes to this wide receiver room, there are simply too many bodies.
You might recognize most of the names, but name recognition won’t be enough to retain employment this season at 1 Patriot Place.
For an organization that has struggled mightily to find stability at wideout over the years, the pressure for this coaching staff and front office to surround second-year quarterback Drake Maye with an elevated group of pass catchers is sky-high.
So what does that mean for veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne?
The soon-to-be 30-year-old had among the worst seasons of his career in 2024, struggling to find playing time after making his season debut in Week 5 against the Dolphins, and even receiving a “DNP, coach’s decision” in his team’s win against Chicago in Week 10.
So with 12 wide receivers vying for a role on the 2025 roster, Bourne is no shoo-in.
While Bourne is never a player that lacks confidence, he was unwilling to make any sort of roster declarations on Thursday, either for himself or the rest of his position group.
“It’s actually awesome,” Bourne said of the competition at wideout. “I think it’s better than it’s ever been from my experience being here, and I’m really enjoying it, man. You love to have challenge, you love the environment of competition, it really brings the best out of you.
“So 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 have that mindset of all focusing on ourselves, challenging ourselves, beating ourselves every day, I think the cards [are] gonna play out how they play out. So I don’t have any predictions. I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do, and I think the room has to have that mindset.”
The 12 wide receivers currently listed on the training camp roster for New England are Ja’Lynn Polk, DeMario Douglas, Javon Baker, Stefon Diggs, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, Jeremiah Webb, Demeer Blankumsee, John Jiles, Efton Chism III and the aforementioned Bourne.
And while much of that group feels middling at best, one distinct advantage Bourne has on his resume is the 2021 season, as his first year with the Patriots coincided with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ last before leaving to take the head coaching job with the Raiders.
With that said, even Bourne can’t deny that things feel different this time around, as McDaniels has new weapons at his disposal.
“It’s crazy, it’s a different dynamic,” said Bourne. “And Diggs being here - just his presence itself does wonders for all of us. He causes attention without even - just his body of work, which is great.
“Efton Chism, a young guy trying to work his way up. Just having that energy in the building and the room is dope. [Douglas] just being who he is - dynamic, great at one-on-one. And that’s what Josh is. It’s powerful. He could punch-and-play us all. And I can’t wait to see it come about. You know, we’re getting glimpses of it, but we’re still working through it. But that’s what’s exciting about it. He knows our strengths, knows where to put us, and that’s gonna have us all be successful.”
Diggs is Diggs. We know the type of All-Pro impact he can have when healthy. And with guys like Douglas and Chism, you can see those types of players fitting in perfectly with a McDaniels offense that allows for slot receivers to have a massive impact on a weekly basis.
So where does an in-between guy like Bourne on the wrong side of 30 fit in for a team striving for its first playoff berth since 2021?
From my view, outside of Diggs, Douglas and Williams, the next three-or-four roster spots are completely up for grabs.
My gut tells me Boutte (for the flashes he showed last year) and Hollins (based on his production in Buffalo last season) will grab two of those remaining spots. So we’re talking about one or two roster spots remaining between Bourne, Chism, Baker and Polk - who we have not seen at camp through two days.
If Bourne can stack days and make an impact on the practice field outside of what he already does as a vocal leader, he’ll have a real chance of returning to New England for a fifth season.
But as things stand now, there’s no guarantees.
For a look at the bigger picture from day two of training camp, check out Meghan Ottolini’s five takeaways on WEEI.com.
Gates for the public on day three of training camp open at 9:15 a.m. ET on Friday. Admission is free.
Jones and Keefe broadcast live overlooking the practice fields at Gillette all throughout training camp. The Home of Patriots Monday and Friday has training camp covered on the WEEI Network and WEEI.com.