What’s that old saying about making sure you know your enemy?
The Arizona Cardinals signed veteran free agent wide receiver Kendrick Bourne away from the San Francisco 49ers on Monday to open NFL free agency, adding another weapon in what looks like it’s going to be a dismal, rebuilding year in the desert.
“Arizona and former 49ers WR Kendrick Bourne reached agreement on a 2-year $10 million deal with a max value of $12 million,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account.
Bourne, 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, was on his 2nd stint with the 49ers in 2025 and had 37 receptions for 551 yards in 16 games. His signing came on a day when the Cardinals signaled they were going into 2026 with Jacoby Brissett as their expected starting quarterback.
“BREAKING: The Cardinals are signing former 49ers WR Kendrick Bourne to a 2-year, $12M deal,” NFL fan account Darts 2 Leek wrote on X. “That’s $6M per year. Bourne had a projected market value of about $3.3M per year — and Arizona pays well above that to bring him in.”
From Undrafted to Decade-Long NFL Career
Bourne’s career earnings will cross the $40 million threshold with his latest contract — an unlikely path for a player who went undrafted out of Eastern Washington after putting up career highs of 79 receptions for 1,201 yards and 7 touchdowns in 16 games in 2016.
In an interesting twist, Bourne was 1 of 2 future NFL standout wide receivers on Eastern Washington’s roster in the 4 seasons he was there alongside future NFL Offensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp, who set the NCAA record across all divisions with 6,464 career receiving yards and won the Walter Payton Award as the nation’s top FCS player in 2016.
Bourne made the 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2017 and had career highs of 49 receptions for 667 yards to go with 2 touchdowns in a contract year in 2020, which led to him signing a 3-year, $15 million free agent contract with the New England Patriots before the 2021 season. Bourne’s 1st season with the Patriots was the best of his NFL career to this point, with 55 receptions for 800 yards and 5 touchdowns.
The Patriots released Bourne last August and played for the 49ers on a 1-year, $1.175 million contract in 2025.
AFC Contender Seemed Likely Destination
Bourne’s likely destination in 2026 seemed like it might be a Super Bowl contender after a report that the Denver Broncos might be interested after going 14-3 and earning the AFC’s top playoff seed in 2025.
“Source says the #Broncos have reached out to express interest in free-agent WR Kendrick Bourne,” The Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson reported on X on March 9.
From Heavy’s Josh Buckhalter: “The veteran said ‘I don’t really know what will happen,’ but that he is “being patient” in free agency, per Tomasson, adding that he sees himself “ as a 3rd-down strength” and citing his versatility and locker room presence. Bourne turns 31 in August, and he is coming off a 31-reception, 551-yard season with the San Francisco 49ers. He has a 329-4,265-22 line for his career … The Athletic’s Daniel Popper ranked Bourne as the 143rd overall free agent in the class, and the 15th-best wide receiver on the open market. Popper pointed to a short burst from Bourne that was preceded and followed by lulls this past season.”
Cardinals Snag 4,200-Yard Playmaker Away From NFC Rival in Free Agency