FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots announced today that they have re-signed WR Kendrick Bourne and signed S Jaylinn Hawkins as an unrestricted free agent from the Los Angeles Chargers. Terms of the contracts were not announced.
Bourne, 28, has spent the last three seasons with New England after signing with the team as an unrestricted free agent from San Francisco on March 19, 2021. The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder, originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with San Francisco on May 5, 2017, out of Eastern Michigan. Bourne has played in 99 games with 25 starts and has registered 264 receptions for 3,409 yards with 21 touchdowns. In addition, he has played in four postseason games and has 13 receptions for 165 yards and 3 touchdowns. He had his best NFL season in 2021 with New England with 55 receptions for 800 yards and 5 touchdowns. Last season, Bourne was limited to 8 games with five starts due to an injury and had 37 receptions for 406 yards with 4 touchdowns.
Hawkins, 26, is a veteran of four NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons (2020-23) and the Los Angeles Chargers (2023). The 6-foot-1, 208-pounder, originally entered the NFL as a fourth-round draft pick (134th overall) selection by Atlanta out of California in the 2020 NFL Draft. He has played in 58 games with 25 starts and has 121 total tackles, 4 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown and 14 special teams tackles. Last season, Hawkins played in six games for Atlanta before being released and claimed off waivers by the Chargers. He went on to play in 10 games with three starts with the Chargers and finished with 13 total tackles and 1 pass defensed.
