The San Francisco 49ers are thin at wide receiver with Brandon Aiyuk (knee), Jauan Jennings (calf), Jacob Cowing (hamstring), and Jordan Watkins (ankle) all dealing with injuries.
As a result, on August 21, the 49ers announced that they traded for Skyy Moore from the Kansas City Chiefs. Nonetheless, San Francisco remains looking to fill the holes at receiver as they are hosting a former player to potentially sign him.
On September 1, NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reported, citing sources, that the are hosting former Patriots wideout Kendrick Bourne for a visit. Moreover, he adds that if a deal is not reached with San Francisco, Bourne’s also scheduled to visit the Washington Commanders on September 2.
Can the 49ers Get Anything Out of Kendrick Bourne?
Bourne played for the 49ers from 2017 to 2020, recording 137 receptions for 1,769 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns. He would sign with the Patriots in 2021 and play for New England until last season. During his four seasons with the Patriots, the veteran recorded 155 receptions for 1,945 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns.
If the 49ers go ahead and sign Bourne, they’d be adding a player who is familiar with the offense that Kyle Shanahan is running and fill their need for receiver. In an article from ESPN’s Nick Wagoner on August 11, Shanahan doesn’t expect Aiyuk to return until at least Week 6.
“I kind of view all those guys around the same time,” Shanahan said. “Whether it’s Mustafa, whether it’s Rourke or whether it’s Brandon. They’re all at different stages, but where they’re at, I always see ’em around Week 6, which means that could be Week 10, it means it could be Week 5, but that’s the area where I start thinking about it, which is a long way away. I know it’s not Week 1 or anything like that, so it’s something I’m not really thinking about too much.”
Will Skyy Moore Contribute?
If Bourne does sign, he will join Moore as the latest receiver to come to the Bay Area to be a target for quarterback Brock Purdy as the team looks to navigate the early part of the 2025 season. Nonetheless, it is an opportunity for Moore to show that he was worth the second-round selection by the Chiefs in 2022.
Moreover, the wideout, whose comments were relayed by NBC Sports Bay Area, is excited about the opportunity when speaking to reporters on August 23.
“Yeah, that’s exactly what it is. It’s a fresh start,” Moore said. “New city, new team. I feel like I get to learn again and put the fun back in the game. Not that I lost it, but just another adventure, I’d say. And the guys, what I’ve seen so far, they accepted me. And all the veteran guys and all the coaches helped me make that transition as smooth as possible.”
It will be interesting to see how Moore plays and whether he can take advantage of this chance to revive his NFL career after struggling to find his footing in Kansas City. If these new arrivals cannot make an impact at the start of the season, it will be challenging for Purdy and Co.
Former Patriot Reportedly Visiting 49ers Amid Injury Concerns