Who Should I Start? Kendrick Bourne or Treylon Burks

Tuesday, July 15, 2:11 PM

There are as many as five wide receivers battling for one or two roster spots this summer with the New England Patriots, including Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, according to Patriots.com's Evan Lazar. Bourne could have a leg up, as he has a history with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, posting a career-high 925 scrimmage yards with McDaniels in 2021. However, Bourne has overlapping skill sets with younger receivers on the roster, and the Pats may prefer to go with youth, especially since Bourne carries a $7.7 million salary cap hit. Boutte, who broke out last year for 43 catches, 589 yards and three scores, could earn a roster spot because of his ability to excel deep down the field. He has also developed some nice chemistry with quarterback Drake Maye. Polk and Baker both disappointed in their rookie seasons and will need to show more to get a chance in 2025.

Monday, July 28, 4:34 PM

The Tennessee Titans have waived/injured wide receiver Treylon Burks (collarbone), according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Burks fractured his collarbone over the weekend and appears likely to miss most, if not all, of the 2025 season. A former first-round selection by Tennessee back in 2022, Burks never found his footing with the organization. Injuries limited him to just 27 games in three seasons, and he recorded 92 catches for 699 yards and one touchdown in those appearances. Tennessee has veterans Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett atop their wide receiver depth chart, with rookies Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor competing with Van Jefferson for the WR3 job. Burks may have to wait until late this season or even 2026 for a chance to salvage his career, and it seems unlikely that he'll get that opportunity in Tennessee.