The 49ers had discussions with the Patriots this offseason about potentially bringing back Kendrick Bourne.
The defending NFC champions considered reacquiring Bourne if Brandon Aiyuk had shown interest in a trade to New England.
Despite the Patriots offering a top per-year deal, Aiyuk did not express a desire to move.
As for Bourne, he remains committed to staying with the Patriots and is not interested in returning to his former team.
“This is where I want to be. I see myself being a strong foundation for this change, and a part of where this place is headed because I helped the Niners build their foundation to where they are now,” Bourne said, via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald.
“I want to do it here. I hear the rumors, but I ignore them. I want to be here because when it starts popping, it’s going to be popping, and I want to be a part of it.
“San Francisco, they’re popping, and I see it from a distance. But that’s not my calling anymore. My calling is to be here and help this organization.”
Bourne, one of the notable acquisitions from Bill Belichick’s 2021 free agency spree, has shown promise in New England.
He posted a career-high 800 receiving yards in 2021, helping the team make the playoffs during Josh McDaniels’ final season as offensive coordinator.
However, Bourne’s production dipped during the 2022 season under the unconventional play-calling of Matt Patricia, and he found himself on the trade block after landing in Belichick’s doghouse.
Last season, Bourne re-emerged as a key player, leading Patriots receivers with 406 yards and four touchdowns in eight games before an ACL injury ended his season.
Nevertheless, the Patriots prioritized him during the offseason, which saw a flurry of re-signings and contract extensions.
Now 29, Bourne began this season on the reserve/PUP list.
He re-signed with New England on a three-year deal worth $19.5 million, with $5.5 million guaranteed. His contract is flexible for any acquiring team, and given the Patriots’ current rebuilding phase, it might make sense for the veteran to consider a trade.
But for now, Bourne is not eager to leave. He may be an outlier on the Patriots’ roster, which features mostly younger receivers drafted between 2022 and 2024. (K.J. Osborn, for example, was brought in during Eliot Wolf’s first offseason in charge.)
Despite this, Bourne expressed a willingness to serve as a mentor for the team’s younger players.
The 49ers’ interest in Bourne might stem from recent challenges in their receiving corps.
Against the Chiefs, Deebo Samuel was hospitalized with pneumonia, Aiyuk suffered an ACL tear, and Jauan Jennings missed the game and remains out of practice.
Ricky Pearsall, who had been shot in a robbery attempt, was making his debut. Given Bourne’s familiarity with Kyle Shanahan’s system and the team’s attempts to reacquire him earlier this year, a return to San Francisco could be a viable emergency option.
With the Patriots on a six-game losing streak, the team has until November 5 to decide whether to move Bourne or other trade candidates.
