UPDATE: On Wednesday, multiple media outlets reported that the Patriots have released wide receiver Kendrick Bourne upon request. For more on that story, click here.
On Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET, the NFL league-wide deadline hit for teams to cut down their rosters to 53 players.
And as of publishing, veterans Kyle Dugger and Kendrick Bourne appear to be in the clear as members of the 2025 Patriots…
…for now.
On the defensive side of the football, Dugger has played deep into preseason games throughout the month of August, which is typically a bad sign for players who are thought to be a part of the plan for that upcoming regular season.
And with Dugger looking overqualified in coverage against the Giants in Preseason Week 3, that was thought to be a “showcase game,” of sorts, to help bolster the 29-year-old’s trade value.
While he doesn’t appear to be a perfect fit in the new defense being installed by first-year defensive coordinator Terrell Williams, it appears that for the moment, his track record was enough to help him retain employment in New England as a depth piece.
Andrew Callahan of The Boston Herald had this to say on Tuesday on Dugger’s trade market:
“Dugger had been available for trade for weeks during a difficult summer for the team’s longest-tenured player. The Patriots engaged in trade talks with multiple teams, but were not close on a deal through Tuesday morning, per source.
“Dugger’s sizable contract affected his trade value, with teams feeling reluctant to take on the remaining three years of the four-year, $58 million extension he signed last season. Dugger is also coming off a poor 2024 season when he played on a misdiagnosed high ankle sprain and was slow to recover this year.”
Callahan went on to add on X.com that there’s no guarantee that Dugger remains on the team through the entire season.
On the offensive side of the football, Bourne remains on the roster despite a training camp season in which the 30-year-old hasn’t been able to practice or play in preseason games since injuring his foot during the team’s intrasquad scrimmage on August 1.
Heading into camp, Bourne was coming off one of 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 this camp season, Bourne was no shoo-in. And the veteran was cognizant of this fact when speaking with the media early in camp.
“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.”
As of publishing, the Patriots’ wide receivers room for 2025 is as follows: DeMario Douglas, Javon Baker, Stefon Diggs, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, Efton Chism III and the aforementioned Bourne.
Missing from that list is second-year wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk was moved to long term IR as he’s set to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery after suffering an injury during Preseason Week 1.
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. It’s that experience that may have saved Bourne from hitting the open market.
With that said, Bourne’s experience and reputation could see him being an attractive trade candidate in the coming weeks. And with the Patriots' current wideout count at eight, they have the flexibility to move off of Bourne if the right opportunity presented itself.
So for both Bourne and Dugger, it’s more of a “wait and see” than a guaranteed return to 1 Patriot Place for Week 1 against the Raiders.
For a full list of the Patriots 53-man roster after cutdown day, check out our tracker on WEEI.com.