49ers: 5 players who are playing final season with San Francisco
By Peter Panacy
No. 5: 49ers Wide Receiver Kendrick Bourne
Late last season, Kyle Shanahan essentially trusted only three of his wide receivers: Emmanuel Sanders, Deebo Samuel and Kendrick Bourne.
Bourne was the least flashy of the trio, at least in terms of stats. But he was a vital asset to the offense, particularly in the red zone where he managed a team-position best five touchdowns. And no one can forget that crucial 3rd-and-16 first-down reception against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 16.
But Bourne’s situation entering 2020 is a tricky one. For starters, he was retained as a restricted free agent and is guaranteed to stick around in San Francisco for at least one more season.
Beyond that, though, it’s anyone’s guess.
Bourne will be an unrestricted free agent in 2021. Meanwhile, the 49ers looked to bolster their receiving corps via the NFL Draft, adding Arizona State’s Brandon Aiyuk and Tennessee’s Jauan Jennings in Rounds 1 and 7, respectively.
Aiyuk will be tasked with complementing Samuel right away, while Jennings could be a dark-horse candidate to secure a key No. 3 role on offense sooner than later.
If that’s the case, Bourne could be seeking a bigger role for a lot more money elsewhere a little less than a year from now.