Nearly everyone associated with the San Francisco 49ers has to be happy and thankful quarterback Brock Purdy is back in the starting lineup after missing all but Weeks 1 and 4 with a painful turf-toe injury.
Nearly everyone.
While Purdy's status as a franchise starter is cemented, if for no other reason than his five-year, $265 million extension signed last offseason, not everyone is necessarily a beneficiary over the two weeks since he's gotten back on the field.
Especially wide receiver Kendrick Bourne.
Bourne, who spent 2017 through 2020 with the Niners before departing on a free-agent deal with the New England Patriots in 2021, signed back with San Francisco early in the season amid major wide receiver shortages. And, at the time with Purdy sidelined, the veteran pass catcher was a primary go-to for No. 2 quarterback Mac Jones, who boasted no shortage of chemistry with Bourne stemming from their days together with the Pats. In Weeks 3 and 4, Bourne notched back-to-back 142-yard performances.
With Jones now back on the sideline, Bourne's statistical impact with Purdy has been nonexistent.
Literally.
Kendrick Bourne continues to be non-factor for Brock Purdy's 49ers
Bourne didn't record a single catch in the 49ers' Week 11 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, nor was he even targeted.
That might have been an anomaly, as Purdy continued his own chemistry with pass-catching weapons like tight end George Kittle, wide receiver Jauan Jennings and running back Christian McCaffrey.
Yet the drought for Bourne continued into Week 12's win over the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football, a game in which he wasn't targeted yet again and only saw six snaps on offense.
It's painfully obvious Bourne isn't fitting into the Niners' current plans at wide receiver, especially with McCaffrey netting a large chunk of Purdy's pass attempts and in light of second-year pro Ricky Pearsall's return from a knee injury.
Granted, Bourne has to recall his previous stint with San Francisco and how it'd often be a different offensive player stepping up from week to week.
Perhaps that trend will continue again in the final weeks of the regular season and (hopefully) into the playoffs.
For now, though, back to back weeks of being iced out of the offensive game plan has to be frustrating.