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The New England Patriots second-year QB Mac Jones had a message for one of his embattled teammates, Kendrick Bourne. The 25-year-old wide receiver is coming off a career season in 2021. Still, he ran into issues with the Patriots coaching staff this offseason amidst the changeover from Josh McDaniels’ system to what New England is running in 2022.
Bourne played only 2 snaps in the Week 1 loss to the Miami Dolphins. He made a 41-yard reception on one of the plays he contributed, which left many scratching their heads. Bourne played it close to the vest during post-game media conversations.
However, when Bourne’s former teammate with the San Francisco 49ers, Jaquiski Tartt, stoked the flames with a “Free Kendrick Bourne” tweet, the former liked it on Twitter.
When Jones was asked on Monday for his take on the Bourne situation, the second-year quarterback and one of the team captains said:
“I think KB has to control what he can control. When he gets a chance to play or practice, just like we all do, we have try do our best that we can. He just has to continue to be himself. He’s done a good job. He’s a great teammate and we have a lot of guys on our team like that.”
While this wasn’t exactly a scathing account, it was a little more direct and candid than Jones usually is with the media. It’s hard to find fault with Jones’ take, as it is good advice for just about anyone in any situation. However, it remains to be seen if it pushes the right buttons for Bourne.
Kendrick Bourne Drama Isn’t With Bill Belichick
Interestingly enough, one report from NBC Sports’ Tom E. Curran suggests Bourne isn’t in Bill Belichick’s doghouse. He seems to have landed on the bad side of Matt Patricia. According to Curran, Bourne’s lack of playing time was a decision Patricia made as they two reportedly “haven’t jelled.”
The question is: how long will the Patriots ground one of the top playmakers on an offense that desperately needs them? There are indications Bourne will be a much bigger part of the team’s plans in Week 2.
Patriots WR coach Troy Brown seemed to hint that Bourne would see more snaps, and there was also a confirmation that the receiver found himself in an issue with Patricia after he was late for a team meeting.
What’s Next For the Patriots?
In Week 2, the Patriots travel to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. The latter is coming off an exciting win over the Cincinnati Bengals in overtime in Week 1.
The Steelers will be without elite edge rusher TJ Watt who is battling a chest injury. Pittsburgh starts former No. 2 overall pick Mitchell Trubisky, but he could be without his top running back. Najee Harris also suffered an injury in the Steelers’ Week 1 win.
However, Harris expects to play against the Patriots as Pittsburgh attempts to improve to 2-0 on the season. On paper, this looks like a game the Patriots should be able to win. It’s too early to call it a must-win situation for the Patriots, but if this team finds itself in a 0-2 hole to start the season, all hell will break lose in Patriots Nation.
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