The LA Chargers have dealt with a lot of adversity on the offensive side of the football this season and are still riding a three-game winning streak with a 4-2 record. Los Angeles lost its franchise left tackle and only speed receiver threat for the entire season due to injury. All-Pro center Corey Linsley has missed two games and WR1 Keenan Allen has played less than one half.
Add in the fact that Justin Herbert has been playing compromised since Week 2 and you would expect the sky to be falling for this team. Instead, they have gritted out three tough wins in a row to put themselves into the conversation atop the AFC.
That does not mean that the team should ignore ways to improve, though, and one of the best ways to improve is by adding receiver help. Even once Keenan Allen returns, it would benefit the team to have another receiving option that can get snaps and potentially gain separation for Justin Herbert.
The Chargers may have a new potential receiver trade target in New England's Kendrick Bourne. New England has received calls about Bourne, who is out of place on that roster and certainly is a candidate to actually be traded.
ESPN: Multiple teams have called the #Patriots about WR Kendrick Bourne.
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 19, 2022
Bourne has been in and out of the Pats lineup this season after falling into Matt Patricia's doghouse in preseason.
Bourne has $3.5 million salary.pic.twitter.com/bd5nd3vcff
The Chargers would benefit greatly by trading for Kendrick Bourne.
Every Chargers fan wants to see the team bring in a speed-threat receiver and Kendrick Bourne isn't necessarily that. Fans may look at his 4.68 40-yard-dash time as a red flag, but in reality, that might make it more likely to happen as the Bolts are seemingly allergic to game-breaking speed at receiver.
While he might not be a speed threat, he is someone who has shown the ability to gain separation at the short and intermediate levels and turning that into big gains with yards after the catch. Bourne has averaged 14.5 yards per reception since joining New England. He averaged 7.0 yards after catch per reception last season.
That would be the highest on the Chargers outside of Austin Ekeler and Joshua Kelley, who obviously are in a better position to get YAC yards as running backs. Gerald Everett has the best YAC per reception right now at 5.2. The highest for a receiver is Mike Williams at 4.6.
Of the 49 receivers to make 50 receptions in 2021, Bourne ranked fifth in average YAC yards. Only Deebo Samuel, Mecole Hardman, Rondale Moore and Ja'Marr Chase finished with higher averages. Bourne is up there with the best of the best in this regard.
The Chargers certainly scheme certain routes to be YAC threats but it just has not panned out this season. Josh Palmer has been the main YAC receiver and he is not fairing well, averaging just 4.4 YAC per reception.
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The cost for Bourne would not be high, especially with him being the odd man out in New England. His contract is not expensive, either. The Chargers certainly can make a deal happen for Bourne if they like his potential fit in this offense.