Kendrick Bourne is reuniting with his first NFL team. The San Francisco 49ers have reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with the veteran wide receiver. The deal is worth up to $5 million. This signing comes on the heels of a shoulder injury suffered by wideout Jauan Jennings. As a result, San Francisco is hoping Bourne can provide valuable short-term depth as they adjust their restructured wide receiver room.
Bourne had spent the past four seasons with the New England Patriots before being released on August 27th, 2025. He now returns to the team where he began his NFL journey as an undrafted free agent out of Eastern Washington. His first four seasons in San Francisco were hampered by inconsistency and multiple injuries, preventing him from gaining real momentum. Still, the 49ers are optimistic that Bourne. Especially since he is now an experienced veteran who can hopefully carve out a meaningful role in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
Kendrick Bourne Reunites with 49ers on One-Year Deal Worth Up to $5 Million
Kendrick Bourne’s Potential Impact for the 49ers
While Bourne had a slow start to his NFL career, he has steadily developed into a reliable role player. After several seasons in New England, he returns to the Bay Area as a low-risk, high-reward depth option for a team managing key injuries at the wide receiver position.
Across his eight NFL seasons, Bourne has compiled 292 receptions for 3,714 yards and 22 touchdowns. He has averaged 2.6 receptions and 33.5 receiving yards per game, with a career catch percentage of 68.1 percent. At six-foot-one, Bourne isn’t a household name. However, his familiarity with the 49ers’ system and his professional experience could prove valuable. At minimum, San Francisco is adding a dependable and known quantity to bolster their receiving corps.
49ers Looking to Bounce Back After an Injury-Riddled 2024 Campaign
Last season was one to forget for the San Francisco 49ers. Between contract disputes involving star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and a string of injuries to key players, the 2024 campaign felt doomed from the outset. However, San Francisco still boasts a talented roster on paper and is looking to rebound in 2025.
So far, they’re off to a promising start. The 49ers opened the regular season with a 17-13 victory over the division rival Seattle Seahawks. While it’s only Week One, if the 49ers can stay relatively healthy, they have the talent to compete and potentially play spoiler in the NFC West. As always, their biggest challenge will be maintaining the health and availability of their top contributors throughout the year.
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