FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Bourne’s status: Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was on his way to a career year when he tore his right ACL in the Patriots’ 31-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Oct. 29. He is determined to pick up where he left off — in more ways than one.
Bourne describes himself as ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation, as he has a physical therapist living with him in Portland, Oregon, to aid in his recovery.
He said he projects to be ready for the 2024 season opener, but whether he’ll be in a Patriots uniform is somewhat out of his control. Bourne is one of the team’s 18 players scheduled for unrestricted free agency.
“I want to come back [to New England]. That is a goal of mine. I love being a Patriot — it’s a great environment for a person like me,” Bourne told ESPN. “Being a Patriot helped me grow into the player I am today. I’m thankful for the organization, but you never know. I’ve been in free agency before and I didn’t know what would happen. And I don’t know now.”
Bourne’s first foray into free agency came after the 2020 season. He had spent the first four years of his career with the San Francisco 49ers, beating the odds as an undrafted free agent out of Eastern Washington, before landing a three-year deal with the Patriots with a base value of $15 million and maximum value of $22.5 million.
His career took off under the tutelage of then-offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, and what unfolded since helped his affinity for the Patriots grow.
“In 2021, I had my best year [55 receptions, 800 yards, 5 TDs]. In 2022, I struggled. Then last year I was on my way to having my best year and made a lot of changes in my life — I became a better man, a better football player, being married, just my mindset. The Patriots were a big part of that and I don’t ever want to take that for granted,” he said.
“These last two years were rebuilding, so I don’t want to miss the time when you may be coming back, the good wave. It was rough but you never know where it could go. I feel like something good is coming in that building and I want to be part of it.”
The 28-year-old Bourne hopes to show the Patriots, and the league’s other 31 teams, that he’s made impressive strides in his recovery. He said he’s in the fifth week since undergoing surgery and that he was told he should be able to start running around the 10-to-12-week mark.
One of his immediate goals is strengthening his quadriceps and legs to support the knee, and he credits his agent, Henry Organ of Disruptive Sports Agency, for the idea of having physical therapist Alex Barlow live with him during this critical period.
In the morning, they have mostly worked on full extension of the knee, range of motion, hip flexibility and soft-tissue stretching. In the afternoon, Bourne focuses more on conditioning, such as riding a stationary bicycle.
“I was in the best shape of my life and the knee slowed me down a lot,” he said. “It’s annoying to have someone always on me and bugging me, but I know what I need to get back to where I was when I got hurt. I’m embracing it now.
“Some days I don’t want to do it. Some days it’s hard. But every day it counts. I know if I attack it head-on, I can have a successful recovery. I’m doing great.”
2. Wolf’s presence: The Patriots haven’t named a general manager since parting ways last month with Bill Belichick after 24 seasons. While a strong contingent of the…
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