Mac Jones: Former EWU receiver Kendrick Bourne ‘still positive’ amid tumultuous second summer with Patriots

Kendrick Bourne hasn’t had the paint-by-number summer of steady growth that many had hoped for.

In his second season with the New England Patriots, the former Eastern Washington receiver has endured a tumultuous training camp. He’s disappeared at long stretches during team drills, seemingly being knocked down the depth chart by DeVante Parker, and last week in Foxborough was one to forget.

With the Carolina Panthers in town for joint practices, Bourne was reamed out by Bill Belichick for an equipment issue. Then later in the practice, he was kicked out of practice for throwing punches in a fight, and a day later he was repping with the backups. Then, Bourne was nowhere to be found for Friday night’s preseason game, with Belichick simply saying he “wasn’t available.”

Despite all that, Mac Jones says the veteran receiver is “still positive.” On a Boston radio show, WEEI’s Merloni, Fauria, and Mego, the Patriots quarterback said he was confident that Bourne’s production would pick up, addibg it’s just a matter of time.

“I love Kendrick and he’s working hard,” Jones said. “The plays will come. Even last year during camp a little bit he was trying to learn everything and find his role and he didn’t get as many balls. Then the season came and he got a lot of throws. So you never know when your time is going to come. So you’ve just gotta keep working, line up right, and do your route. And eventually they’ll come. You can’t chase plays, like I always say.

“KB is still positive, and we’re just really happy to have him on our team.”