Bill Belichick Discusses Kendrick Bourne Lack of Playing Time

The New England Patriots have a special plans for the 2022 NFL season. Head coach Bill Belichick and his assistants worked on these plans in the offseason and none of them includes a bigger role for Kendrick Bourne.

Bourne is coming off of a good season, but he struggled in the offseason. Matt Patricia was really frustrated when Bourne arrived late for a team meeting. This event triggered an avalanche of events and Bourne sees less playing time than usual. Team owner Robert Kraft isn’t happy with this decision. Bourne played 44 snaps so far in the regular season.

Bill Belichick has the right role for Kendrick Bourne

Belichick had a reason to make this decision. Lil’Jordan Humphrey played in 83 snaps this season and 50 of these came in Week 3. In Week 3, Bourne had four catches for 58 yards in five targets.

“It’s a decision on the type of formations, the type of plays you’re running (and) they’re running,” Belichick said Monday morning on WEEI. “It was a lot of loaded, heavy boxes from the Ravens. That involves some things in the running game. (Humphrey) is a cross between 12 personnel and 11 personnel. It gives us a little bit of both on the field.”

Bourne sees less playing time than usual. He trusts the process and definitely trusts his coaches. He is an excellent player, but Patriots coaches have a plan for his performance this season. Everyone is just trying to figure out what works best for Bourne and other players.

“Yeah, the coaches got the plan,” Bourne told NBC Sports Boston. “I think it works. I can’t say this or that. I’m definitely happy with what I got to do. I would love to play more, but I gotta just keep proving it to the coaches. Game by game. Every time I go in, just making the plays that come so I can try to go out there more.

“They just got different packages,” Bourne added. “Bigger packages here and there. LJ is a bigger guy so they like to confuse the defense. It’s the coaches’ plan, and I gotta just go with the punches.”