Count Kendrick Bourne among those happy that the New England Patriots made some changes on the offensive side of the ball this offseason.
Speaking to reporters following the team’s eighth and final organized team activity on Friday, the veteran wide receiver expressed some optimism heading into 2023. It appears the addition of veteran offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien has plenty to do with that.
“Bill’s familiar with what he’s doing, so it feels good,” Bourne said. “He knows what he’s doing in all areas of offense — receiver, lineman, running back, he knows offense. ...
“He’s doing well. He knows how to engage with all of us, I feel like. He knows our traits right now, and he knows where to put us. It’s been good. We’re still learning each other as a group, but he’s doing well. You can tell he knows what he’s doing.”
The Patriots hired O’Brien earlier this offseason to replace Matt Patricia and Joe Judge just one year after they were elevated to the top of the offensive coaching staff. However, their lone season at the helm was a major disappointment, with the unit failing to find the same success it had under long-time coordinator Josh McDaniels.
As a consequence, the team made some investments in hopes of getting its offense back on track.
In came O’Brien as well as offensive line coach Adrian Klemm and tight ends coach Will Lawing. Patricia, meanwhile, is now with the Philadelphia Eagles while Judge was reassigned to what appears to be more of a special teams-focused role.
For Bourne, who showed considerable promise in his first year with the New England Patriots in 2021 but just like the rest of the team’s offense took a step back the following season, those changes are a positive.
“It just feels good,” the 27-year-old said. “Change is good. It’s something we needed, I feel like. It feels good so far. So, if that’s what it’s going to be it’s better so far.”
Appearing in a combined 18 games as a first-year Patriot in 2021, Bourne touched the ball 75 times, scored seven touchdowns, and finished with 1,016 yards from scrimmage. He looked like a key member of the team’s receiving corps moving forward, but failed to duplicate his success with McDaniels gone.
Bourne was unable to play the same prominent role he held a year prior under Patricia and Judge, and generally looked uncomfortable with the new setup. A few months later, he appears to be both physically and mentally revitalized.
“Just being fit, just being in shape in ways that I’ve never been before,” he pointed out on Friday. “Just taking care of my body, eating well, doing everything that I need to do just to be prepared to play better. If we talk about last year, I was very disappointed in myself and my play and everything, how the year went. Just giving myself the best opportunity to be the best I can be for the team.”
For Bourne, 2023 is therefore a year of new beginnings.
“New year, new me, new us, new everything,” he said. “That’s what we’re focused on, and that’s always the goal every year: to move forward and be better.”
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