Here’s what Patriots receiver Kendrick Bourne had to say as he spoke to reporters on July 24, 2025:
On the fact there are a dozen guys on the roster at wide receiver and the fact there are five or six spots available, and what the competition has been like so far:
“It’s actually awesome. I think it’s better than it’s ever been from my experience being here. I’m really enjoying it, man. You love to have challenge. You love the environment of competition. It really brings the best out of you. I think it’s just every man against himself. You know what I’m saying? Even against each other, it’s a crazy dynamic in a sense. But if we can have that mindset of all focusing on ourselves, challenging ourselves, beating ourselves every day, I think the cards are going to play out how they play out. I don’t have any predictions. I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do, and I think the room needs to have that mindset.”
On the significant change in players between the 2024 team and this year’s team:
“Yeah, I think it’s unique, and that’s the challenge. You know what I’m saying? So as a group, we need to take that challenge. Look at it that way. It’s not going to be given. You have to earn everything. Even for myself. You know what I’m saying? Seniority or whatever you want to call it, vet presence, it doesn’t matter. You know what I’m saying? I got to practice hard. I got to show up in preseason, whatever that looks like. Being with Vrabes, my first experience with Vrabes, so I’m learning how he operates, how he does things, and adjusting, adapting. I think that’s what we need to do as a group. So not looking outside, but looking more internally.”
On what excites him the most about this year:
“I think the potential. Obviously, I have experience with Josh, and my first year, the way we were spreading the ball around was really exciting. You can be on the bench and have a role coming in the game. Josh knows how to put it together. So there’s a bigger picture that you have to look at rather than right now, you may be not getting a lot of reps, but the play that you do go in, the three plays, how do you make them count? Because those can be plays that change the game. So that’s my advice to the whole room as a sense, just having experience with Josh. That moment will come, and are you going to be ready or are you not?”
On how it familiar it feels being back in McDaniels’ offense:
“No, it’s awesome. I’m just very comfortable in it. I think, but I know what to expect in a sense. It’s just awesome. I have a lot of peace with it. You know what I’m saying? Everything I went through last year with ACL, just trying to get back, kind of being sloppy, getting out there, not having OTAs, not having training camp, and having those now, like, in it now, and then having Josh, it just gives me a peace of mind. So I’m playing free. I feel good.”
On the guys who aren’t comfortable in the offense, and what advice he would give them:
“Yeah, that’s a great question. Just focusing. It’s tough. I remember when I first was in it, I was struggling. Just terminology, different things. It’s tough. It’s new. It’s unique. It’s like it’s its own offense. So it’s definitely just new. So it’s just about studying as hard as they can, putting the time in, walkthroughs, and things like that, so you can come out here and execute. You don’t want your first rep to be when you go full speed. So as you go through studies and go through walkthroughs, those should be extra reps. So when we come out here in front of you guys, it looks all good and pretty.”
On what’s different about his offense now compared to the last time he was in it:
“Yeah, I think it’s pretty similar, but it’s new staff around Josh that I’m new around, too. So I think he’s just gelling with other staff members that were Vrabes, gelling it all together. So I think that’s the difference for me is he’s with different coaches than I experienced in ’21. It’s dope to see, man. And I think we’re evolving quick. You know what I’m saying? The environment has been dope. I think we’re seeing his vision, and I think when that connects, As from coach to player, we have good practices.”
On if he sees any tweaks to the offense that are different to take advantage of Stefon Diggs, and other receivers who have great quickness who weren’t here in 2021:
“No, it’s crazy. It’s a different dynamic. Diggs being here, just his presence itself does wonders for all of us. He causes attention without even… You know what I’m saying? Just his body of work, which is great. Efton Chism, a young guy trying to work his way up. Just having that energy in the building, in the room, is dope. Pop. Just being who he is, dynamic, great at one-on-one. And that’s where Josh is powerful. He could punch and play us all. And I can’t wait to see it come about. We’re getting glimpses of it, but we’re still working through it. But that’s what’s exciting about it. He knows our strengths. He knows where to put us, and that’s going to have us all be successful.”
On if there’s been any simplification of McDaniels’ offense, or if it’s been streamlined:
“Honestly, no. I think it’s pretty similar, like I was saying to Andrew [Callahan], it’s his system. He knows it. He’s sticking to what he knows. It’s about us learning, like I said, what he wants us to do specifically. Josh is very detailed. So fundamentals, details, and all those little things. It’s football’s football. You know what I’m saying? So how can we play better with better technique than the guy in front of us. I think that’s what he emphasizes more, which we struggled with in the past.”
As someone who’s been through an ACL and his impression of where Diggs is at right now:
“No, that’s a great… We talk about them all the time, man. It’s freaking impressive. From my experience, I was just like, ‘Bro, I wasn’t even close to that.’ It’s an honor to see… I’ll be talking about Adrian Peterson, and when he came back from his ACL in the past, and he was just explosive, and I’d just be teasing him like, ‘Hey, man, you’re looking good. It’s looking like you’re trying to have an AP year from it.’ And he’d be laughing and joking, but he’s worked hard, and you could see the results in that.”
On what type of practice day today was, whether it was third down, third and long, and what type of day it was because it felt like the ball was coming ot pretty quick:
“Honestly, I really don’t even know. You know what I’m saying? That might sound bad, but just going through practice. It probably was a first-down day. I’m not sure, but that’s kind of what it is. I don’t even know.”
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This transcript was done based on the available footage and is subject to typographical errors. If you spot anything, please let me know in the comments below.)
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Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.
