We’re kick-starting this week’s mailbag with questions regarding the regular season roster, most notably with wideout Kendrick Bourne’s future with the New England Patriots.
Another fan touches on the Tom Brady return news, as well as the current state of the cornerback position in New England.
Be sure to follow @CamSGarrity on Twitter and submit questions to be answered on Mondays.
Weekly mail bag time! 📫 Send me your Patriots Qs for this week. pic.twitter.com/wIKNQ1j9M1
— Cam Garrity (@CamSGarrity) May 8, 2023
This is a chance to get some of your questions answered and generate good discussion across Patriots nation. Let’s get into this week’s submitted questions.
Q: Is Kendrick Bourne going to be on the opening day roster? - @DarweezySF
Thanks for the submission! I think there is an interesting situation forming in the Patriots’ wide receivers room. With seven receivers currently on the roster, including two sixth-round selections from the 2023 NFL draft, many are wondering if there will be some roster moves to free up the logjam.
My feeling is the Patriots have a collection of different skill sets to help fill the room, sort of like a basketball lineup. You have the X receiver in DeVante Parker, who can win “above the rim” with contested catches. You have a deep threat in Tyquan Thornton.
There are a couple of playmakers with Kendrick Bourne and Juju Smith-Schuster, who can move along the formation. The team also has some young talented receivers in Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte, who will have to earn some playing time in camp.
The Patriots may have talent everywhere, but in 2024, Thornton, Smith-Schuster, Boutte and Douglas are the only receivers on the roster. I mentioned in my 53-man roster prediction that Boutte and Douglas both make the roster, but I also had Bourne on there as well.
Barring any injuries or trades, I think Bourne is too dynamic and has an opportunity to explode with Bill O’Brien overseeing the offense. I think Bourne is in the Patriots’ plans, and rightfully so.
He will be on the roster and should be impactful. He’s only 27 years old and is on a team-friendly contract in a year where he’ll be looking to get back to the 2021 version of himself.
Q: Will Tom Brady sign a one-day contract to retire a Patriot? - Eddie C. (Facebook)
Although the Patriots have mentioned they have big plans to honor Tom Brady, he has officially been processed as retired from the NFL. So he will likely not sign a one-day contract.
I do, however, feel good knowing that part of the Patriots’ plans to celebrate Brady in 2023 have already begun with the announcement of the “thank you, Tom game” in the home opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
I am predicting that the Week 1 opener will have a ceremony dedicated to Brady, featuring videos, highlights and more. I would go as far to say there is a possibility they unveil a statue as part of the renovations, along with officially retiring Brady’s No. 12 jersey prior to that game.
It’s clear there isn’t enough the Patriots can do to honor the greatest Patriot and NFL quarterback to ever play the game, but those are some good potential starting points to do so.
Q: How would you rank the cornerbacks we have this year? - Ryan G. (Facebook)
The Patriots currently have 11 corners on the roster for training camp, and although all play different styles, I think the team will ultimately carry six into the start of the season.
Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones, and Jack Jones are roster locks for me. But the real battle comes for that fifth and sixth spot, which ultimately will go to the more versatile players. Ameer Speed and Myles Bryant can both play safety in a pinch, while Isaiah Bolden has upside as a returner.
The Patriots clearly selected Speed and Bolden with one thing in mind: speed and length, a philosophical change from corners in the past for the team. To me, Speed and Bolden can give the Patriots backend depth, while contributing early on special teams. Bryant and the rest of the crew will ultimately be cut.
I think the Patriots would field a corner group with Christian Gonzalez and Jack Jones on the outside, Jonathan Jones in the slot and Marcus Jones playing on the inside, opposite of Jonathan Jones in packages. We could also see Jonathan Jones getting some reps at safety.
