The New England Patriots season has gone from bad to worse. After upsetting the Buffalo Bills a week ago, the team lost to the Miami Dolphins 31-17. The team also lost its top wide receiver as Kendrick Bourne went down with an injury during the game. There was hope it wasn’t bad but an MRI today confirmed that he has torn his ACL and is out for the season.
Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne suffered torn ACL, likely out for season. (via @MikeGarafolo) pic.twitter.com/pEwkjjMm3i
— NFL (@NFL) October 30, 2023
New England Patriots Kendrick Bourne Tears ACL
The injury happened early in the fourth quarter. Bourne caught a pass from Mac Jones and was spun around by Eli Apple. He immediately grabbed the back of his knee and did not return to the game. An MRI this morning confirmed that it is a torn ACL and he will miss the rest of the season. This is a huge loss as Bourne was leading the team in targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns. He had 37 receptions for 406 yards and four touchdowns on the year. The team will now have to have some other receivers step up in his absence but the roster is looking very thin.
Where Do The Patriots Go From Here?
The Patriots are likely in line for a top pick in the draft. What they do with that pick all comes down to what they think of Jones at the quarterback position. If they want to move on, there are plenty of quarterback prospects to go with. If they think Jones is the future, picking up a top receiver like Marvin Harrison Jr. would give the offense the receiver it hasn’t seen since Randy Moss played for them. The team has the rest of the season to evaluate and then the tough decisions start.
This is devastating news for the New England Patriots and Kendrick Bourne. No matter which team you cheer for, injuries are never something that we want to see.