Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne feels he’ll see more playing time at Pittsburgh
FOXBORO — Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne played just two snaps in the team’s season-opening loss to Miami.
He appears primed for more Sunday in Pittsburgh.
Speaking to reporters Friday, Bourne said he feels he will be more involved against the Steelers.
“Yeah, yeah, for sure,” Bourne said. “I’ve got some plays that I see out there. It was kind of the same last week, too, but it’s the same.”
Earlier, when asked if he had been given any indication he would see more action Sunday, Bourne said: “Yeah, just been practicing. Been in that role, so just rotating, you know. Just waiting to go in. It’s been good, though.”
Bourne was more definitive about the quality of his recent practices.
“Feel better, feel better. Feel a lot better,” he said. “Healthy, just moving well, and just want to do everything right that I’m supposed to do.”
Last weekend, Bourne caught a 41-yard pass on his second and final snap of the Pats’ 20-7 loss at Miami. For the first 54 minutes of play, he had benched in favor of veterans Jakobi Meyers, DeVante Parker and Nelson Agholor. Practice-squad wideout Lil’Jordan Humphrey also saw snaps ahead of Bourne and finished with three.
After the game, Bourne admitted he hadn’t shown the coaches enough to earn their trust, but couldn’t entirely explain his lack of playing time.
Bourne is coming off a difficult summer, when he recorded the fewest receptions of any pass catcher in team periods of Patriots training camp. He was also tossed for fighting in one joint practice with the Panthers and got sent home after showing up late to the Pats’ ensuing preseason game with Carolina.
In the team’s preseason finale, Bourne caught two passes for 16 yards, including one for a fourth-down conversion. On Friday, he was asked what’s helped him get through a tough summer and start to the season.
“Just keeping my spirits high, not getting down,” Bourne said. “Just staying focused, staying in the playbook, staying on top of things I need to be on top of so I can be ready to make plays.”
Last year, Bourne was the Pats’ second-leading receiver with 800 yards and their most explosive with a team-best 14.5 yards per catch average.
from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/H5WCvLe
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