Kendrick Bourne Believes ‘Underdog’ Patriots Wideouts Will ‘Shock’ Doubters

FOXBORO, Mass. — Kendrick Bourne believes the Patriots receiving corps’ many critics will eat their words this season.

Speaking one day after roster cutdowns, Bourne made a bold declaration about New England’s wideout group, which has been knocked for its lack of elite talent.

“I think we’re going to be a group that’s going to shock a lot of people,” Bourne said. “It’s good to be the underdogs.”

The Patriots enter the season with a clear top three of JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker and Bourne. All three have been productive NFL pass-catchers in the past, but none are viewed as a true, game-changing No. 1. Nearly every contending NFL team has at least one of those.

Smith-Schuster is the only member of New England’s group with a Pro Bowl selection or a 100-catch season on his resume, and the trio has combined to crack 1,000 receiving yards just twice, with Smith-Schuster doing so in 2018 and Parker following suit in 2019. Both of those players also have lengthy injury histories.

Bourne, meanwhile, struggled last season under play-caller Matt Patricia but was the Patriots’ top big-play threat in 2021, when he notched career highs in receptions (55) and receiving yards (800) while catching passes from rookie-year Mac Jones.

The ever-smiling 28-year-old believes a bounce-back year is in store for both himself and the Patriots’ offense under new coordinator Bill O’Brien.

“I think scheme is a big part of players,” said Bourne, who enjoyed what head coach Bill Belichick called one of the Patriots’ “best” offseasons. “How we feel, what we want to see and how it can make us better players.

“We always want to improve; we want to get better as a group every day, and I think we’re in that place of knowing we’re improving every day. That feels good to come to work every day and get better.”

He added: “I think Mac is in a great place as the leader, and I think that trickles to the whole team.”

Rounding out New England’s receiver room are two sixth-round rookies: Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte.

Douglas, a shifty, undersized slot receiver, quickly established himself as a promising prospect and saw reps with Jones and the offensive regulars throughout training camp. Boutte started slowly but finished camp with a flourish, impressing in his second preseason game and in several of the team’s late-summer practices.

Second-year pro Tyquan Thornton made the initial 53-man roster but will be unavailable until at least Week 5 after reportedly being placed on injured reserve. It’s the second straight season Thornton will begin on IR.

The Patriots will open their season on Sept. 10 at home against the Philadelphia Eagles. New England’s over/under win total for the 2023 season currently is 7.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook.