Will the 49ers Trade for Patriots Wide Receiver Kendrick Bourne?

SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers need a wide receiver.

Deebo Samuel has pneumonia. Jauan Jennings has a hip injury. And Brandon Aiyuk is out for the season with a torn ACL and MCL. Samuel and Jennings might play this Sunday night against the Cowboys but Aiyuk obviously will not, which means the 49ers have to replace him.

This offseason when the 49ers considered trading Aiyuk to Pittsburgh, they wouldn't do so unless they could get a wide receiver back in the deal. So the 49ers clearly didn't like the idea of replacing Aiyuk with someone currently on the roster.

And multiple times, the 49ers were linked to New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne. Bourne played the first four seasons of his career with the 49ers, and head coach Kyle Shanahan has said he loves Bourne like a son.

But in 2021, Bourne hit free agency and signed a lucrative deal with the Patriots which the 49ers didn't have the budget to match. So he left. But now the Patriots are tanking and the 49ers need a veteran wide receiver who knows Shanahan's system, isn't too expensive and can play right away.

That's Bourne.

If the 49ers are serious about contending and winning the Super Bowl this season, they'll trade for Bourne or a wide receiver like him. He would cost the 49ers a late-round pick and instantly would improve the offense.

If they don't trade for Bourne a different wide receiver, you have to wonder if the 49ers think their Super Bowl window is closed.

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