The NFL trade deadline is on Tuesday and the San Francisco 49ers are one team worth keeping an eye on. The 49ers are often seen as Super Bowl contenders, however, they could use some reinforcements considering that they're heading into Week 10 with a 4-4 record — good for third place in the NFC West.
Kyle Shanahan's team could benefit from adding depth to a handful of positions, including the wide receiver room. Wideouts Deebo Samuel (rib/oblique) and Jauan Jennings (hip) are both banged up at the moment while Brandon Aiyuk's season ended last month due to ACL and MCL tears.
The good news for the 49ers is that if they want to add another receiver or two, several should be available before Tuesday's deadline. That includes one option that the organization is more than familiar with: veteran WR Kendrick Bourne.
"At 2-7, the New England Patriots aren't in a position to be picky about selling aging role players," CBS Sports Cody Benjamin wrote in an article about potential trade deadline pieces. "And Bourne, though banged up in recent years, has been a decent reserve for longer than fellow Patriots wideout K.J. Osborn, another potential trade chip."
"A reunion with the San Francisco 49ers could make sense."
Bourne has spent the last four seasons with the Patriots, however, he began his NFL career in San Francisco. After going unselected at the 2017 draft, the former Eastern Washington product joined the 49ers as an undrafted free agent on a three-year deal.
It didn't take long for Bourne to carve a role out for himself in the 49ers offense. He turned 137 receptions across 58 games into 1,769 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns while also tallying 88 more yards and another touchdown during the franchise's 2019 postseason run.
After four years in the Bay, Bourne opted for a change in scenery when he signed a three-year, $15 million contract with the Patriots ahead of the 2021 campaign. Although he's been a reliable receiver in New England since then, his career hit a roadblock last year when he suffered a season-ending ACL tear.
Even though he didn't get to finish the 2023 campaign, the Patriots still re-signed Bourne to a three-year, $33 million contract back in March.
Bourne opened the 2024 season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list but has since recorded eight catches for 70 yards and two first downs in five games. While he hasn't been lighting the world on fire this season, the 49ers could still be open to a reunion.
For starters, the Patriots' attack is among the worst in the NFL, meaning it wouldn't be surprising if a trade to San Francisco helped Bourne rediscover his groove. Even when the WR injury situation improves, there will be more than enough opportunities to go around considering that the 49ers average the fifth-most passing yards per game.
There's also the fact that acquiring Bourne won't break the bank. According to Spotrac, the 29-year-old playmaker only carries a $3.25 million cap hit this season while being listed at $7.9 million for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. The 49ers currently have around $52.5 million in remaining cap space and will have $36.7 million to spend in the offseason, so there's more than enough room to add the Portland, Oregon native.
Rostering reliable role players is crucial when it comes to winning a Super Bowl. If the 49ers don't want their WR-related injuries to derail a potential championship run, targeting Bourne before the trade deadline could be a wise move.
