As they aim to piece together their wide receiver corps in the wake of several injuries at the position, the 49ers are showing interest in bringing back a former key contributor at that spot.
The release of Kendrick Bourne by the New England Patriots gave the 49ers the chance to potentially bring back a pass-catcher on whom they know they can rely following his previous four-season spell with the team.
And Bourne will head back to the 49ers’ facility to visit with the team that first gave him his shot as an undrafted free agent in 2017.
The 49ers, however, will have competition for Bourne’s services. Indeed, Bourne is also set to visit with the Washington Commanders, whose front office is led by former 49ers assistant general manager Adam Peters.
Bourne, per NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, will visit with the Commanders on Tuesday.
Rapoport added that a framework of a deal is in place with both teams, meaning the 49ers’ only task is simply to convince Bourne that his best bet would be return to San Francisco.
A key part of the pitch may concern Bourne’s role with the 49ers compared to his potential involvement in the Washington offense.
Bourne would at best be the third receiver with the Commanders behind Terry McLaurin and former 49er Deebo Samuel. With the 49ers’ injuries at wideout, there’s a strong chance Bourne could open the year effectively as WR2.
If healthy, that role would be set to go to Jauan Jennings. Yet a return from a calf injury for Jennings does not appear to be on horizon. As such, there is a clear opening at the WR2 spot behind Ricky Pearsall and, given his experience in the scheme from his previous stay, it figures that Bourne would have an edge over the likes of Skyy Moore and Russell Gage Jr.
In his time with the 49ers, Bourne was essentially Jennings before Jennings emerged, serving as a reliable third-down chain mover with a knack for coming through in the clutch. During the 49ers’ Super Bowl season of 2019, Bourne was tied-10th among qualifying wide receivers with a 59.1% success rate.
Even with the injuries to Brandon Aiyuk, Jennings, Jordan Watkins and Jacob Cowing — along with the three-game suspension for Demarcus Robinson — the 49ers still have several explosive playmakers. However, having Bourne as a dependable chain mover would help San Francisco’s offense maintain a high floor while the 49ers wait for their attack to get back to full strength.
San Francisco has been put in a difficult position on offense by the amount of injuries they have suffered at receiver. If the 49ers can beat Peters and Commanders to the signing of the Bourne, they will be in a better spot to overcome adversity at a key position and ensure Brock Purdy and Co. hit the ground running in 2025.
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