Kendrick Bourne returned to the 49ers in 2025. The veteran wideout is ready to succeed in the open market next month, but his preference could be to proceed his second San Francisco stint.
“The yr went great,” Bourne said when reflecting on his situation (video link). “Hitting free agency this yr, it’s gonna be fun. I need to return to San Fran, in order that’s the plan, nevertheless it’s all got to make sense.”
After spending his first 4 seasons with the 49ers, Bourne wound up signing a pair of three-year contracts with the Patriots. His deal was terminated during 2025 roster cuts, nevertheless, which resulted in a transient free agency period. The 30-year-old returned to the 49ers on a one-year pact; that call allowed him to operate as an everyday presence on offense.
Bourne totaled 551 yards in 2025, recording the second-highest yards per reception average (14.9) of his profession. The previous UDFA didn’t rating a touchdown, but he did enough to trigger a $500K incentive in his contract. With loads of questions yet to be answered on the receiver spot, it will not come as a surprise if San Francisco opted for an additional short-term contract on this case.
Throughout the season, Bourne was named as a likelier wideout than Jauan Jennings to be retained for 2026. Jennings can also be a pending free agent, while it has been clear for quite a while Brandon Aiyuk has played his last snap for the 49ers. San Francisco’s WR depth chart also includes the likes of Ricky Pearsall, Demarcus Robinson and Jacob Cowing as things stand.
Additions might be made, and the 49ers are currently tenth within the NFL in projected cap space. That represents an unusual amount of economic flexibility for the team. Keeping Bourne within the fold would likely not require far more than a reproduction of the one-year pact he signed in the autumn which contained a maximum value of $5MM. It can be interesting to see if the team reciprocates Bourne’s desire to work out one other latest deal.