The first San Francisco 49ers free agent is off the board, as veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is heading to the Arizona Cardinals on a two-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The deal is for $10 million across the two years with a max value of $12 million.
Bourne, 30, joined the 49ers early in the season after being released by the New England Patriots before Week 1, and quickly became one of the team’s top wideouts. He finished the year with 37 catches for 551 yards, ranking fourth on the team in receiving yards and second amongst wideouts behind Jauan Jennings (643 yards).
Heading into free agency, the 49ers were reported to have interest in bringing Bourne back, with the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals also in the mix, according to 247Sports’s Matt Zenitz. The Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson also revealed that the Denver Broncos were showing interest in the veteran free agent.
With the move, Bourne reunites with Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur, who was an assistant with the 49ers for the wideout’s first four years in the NFL (2017-20).
Bourne’s departure comes after the 49ers made a splash earlier in the day, signing former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver to a three-year, $60.4 million deal to bolster their receiving corps. Heading into free agency, the 49ers had Ricky Pearsall, Demarcus Robinson, Jacob Cowing, and Jordan Watkins as their top wideouts, so upgrades at the position were going to be necessary.
The 49ers have also been strongly linked to former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs in free agency. With Evans already in the fold, we’ll see if the 49ers spend on another receiver or if they look for a cheaper option and focus more on the draft.
About the Author: Insidethe49
