Jahan Dotson, the expected WR3, has underperformed since arriving in Philadelphia, has been inconsistent, and has struggled to carve out a place for himself. Because of this uncertainty, the Eagles may consider trading for a more experienced veteran—and one may be waiting in New England.
Cory Woodroof of USA Today’s For the Win put up ten “plausible trades that could go down before or during training camp this summer.” He lists the Eagles as a potential trade partner for Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne.
“The Patriots have one of the most crowded receiver rooms in the NFL, and it feels there will be an odd man out with potential starters,” Woodruff wrote at the time. “Bourne still holds value as a veteran wideout who can help any quarterback, and New England might be curious to see what it could get in a future asset as opposed to cutting Bourne outright.”
The Philadelphia Eagles have proposed trading WR Kendrick Bourne for a seventh-round pick.
Woodruff’s proposal? “A 2026 seventh-round pick to New England for Bourne.”
If all it takes is a seventh-round pick to add Bourne, the Eagles should seize the opportunity.
“The Eagles could give Bourne a clearer path to the field and quarterback Jalen Hurts an excellent depth option in the passing game,” according to Woodruff. “Adding Bourne could be a really savvy move to address receiver depth for Philadelphia.”
Bourne, who will be 30 in August, joined the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2017 with the 49ers. Over his first three years in San Francisco, he steadily progressed, peaking with 49 receptions for 667 yards in 2020.
In 2021, he signed with the Patriots and burst out, recording career highs of 55 receptions, 800 receiving yards, and five touchdowns. He also demonstrated creative usefulness, running for 125 yards on 12 carries and throwing a touchdown pass.
Bourne returned to catch 28 catches for 305 yards and a touchdown in just 12 games in 2024, after being sidelined temporarily in 2023 due to an ACL tear.
Bourne Would Be An Improvement Over Dotson.
Bourne has built himself a career as a high-floor receiver who gives precisely what teams need from their WR2/3 targets—a strong catch rate, consistent yards per target, and great situational performance.
Throughout New England’s offense, he was among the league leaders in target premium and yards per target, averaging 12.7 yards per reception over eight seasons.
He also has playoff experience, having played in four postseason games while with the Patriots. Given Philly’s recent production from the WR3 slot, Bourne might be a welcome addition.
Dotson completed 2024 with only 216 yards on 19 catches, ranking near the bottom among wide receivers in yards per route run. He has yet to score a touchdown in regular season action, although he did have one in the playoffs last season.
Meanwhile, Bourne’s strengths appear to better match Philadelphia’s needs: He’s a crisp route runner with dependable hands and seasoned experience — and he excels on third down.
A minor upgrade at WR3 could provide additional spark for the Eagles as they attempt to defend their championship. Let’s see how they handle it.
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