Kendrick Bourne says Patriots are ‘going to turn it around in one year’
New England Patriots receiver Kendrick Bourne is feeling optimistic about his new team. Though New England experienced an uncharacteristic regression to 7-9 in 2020, Bourne thinks it was just a blip on Bill Belichick’s impressive career.
“They’re going to turn it around in one year. I can honestly see it,” Bourne told reporters on Monday.
Bourne was a part of an enormous free agency class, not just when measured in volume of players but also in dollars spent. New England paid big money for top-tier free agents Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, Matthew Judon, Davon Godchuax and Nelson Agholor. And then the Patriots chipped away at other players they really liked, with Bourne signing a three-year, $22.5 million deal. The free agency class is one reason for optimism in New England.
“They’re going to win again. That was just a one-year thing, I feel like. So I knew I wanted to be a part of the new era, whatever you want to call it,” Bourne said. “Just to be picked with a great group of guys by a great organization, it just shows me my potential.”
The Patriots’ offseason priority was surely to find their starting quarterback. New England re-signed Cam Newton to a backup-caliber contract worth up to $14 million (but guaranteeing only $3.5 million). He’s the favorite to start, with his competition being Jarrett Stidham and Jake Dolega. But New England could always add a free agent — or it could draft a quarterback.
“I really didn’t think about the quarterback situation,” Bourne said when asked what drew him to the Patriots. “It’s more the organization, who they are. I know they’re thinking about their future also.
“But I believe in Cam Newton at the end of the day. I didn’t go looking around, who’s the starting quarterback here. The NFL is the NFL. I believe everybody’s good. It just takes that right place, right time, right coaching and stuff like that.”
