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FOXBORO — Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is not ignoring the noise.
Four minutes into Bourne’s media availability Sunday after training camp practice, Patriots media relations told reporters “two more questions” for the wide receiver. It’s a common direction to move players on and off of the makeshift podium set up on the side of the Patriots’ practice field.
The next question came from a reporter who asked Bourne about fellow wide receiver Tyquan Thornton. Bourne responded, “stink, stunk and stank” before running back to the practice field.
That reporter, the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi, said last week on NBC Sports Boston that what he’s seen out of the Patriots’ wide receiver position in practice is “stink, stank and stunk.”
Fellow wide receiver DeVante Parker liked the answer.
“Lmao he funny af for that 🤣,” Parker tweeted.
Bourne clearly believes in his group, which also includes DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster and rookies Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte. He recently posted an Instagram story saying the Patriots’ group of wide receivers is going to go “crazzyyy this year.” Bourne said he has “a lot of confidence” in his position group.
“We got a lot of doubters, so got a lot to prove,” Bourne said minutes before his walkoff. “I’m excited. It’s good to be the underdog sometimes, because they don’t know we’re coming.”
Bourne explained why he has confidence in the group, which is not well-revered among the media.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recently ranked the Patriots’ skill-position group — including tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki and running back Rhamondre Stevenson — 26th out of 32 NFL teams.
“Just how hard we work,” Bourne said. “We put in the work behind closed doors. Lot of things are said, but we’ve put in the work. So, we know how we feel. We know what we’re capable of. It’s not just us receivers. It’s all of us as a group. If we all work together as 11, it’ll play out for the better for all of us.”
Smith-Schuster was recently asked if the Patriots have a “No. 1 receiver.” That became a popular topic after the team failed to sign free-agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, losing him to the Tennessee Titans this summer.
Smith-Schuster gave a diplomatic answer that he believed all of New England’s wideouts could be No. 1s.
Bourne agreed Sunday.
“I think we’re all No. 1s, honestly,” Bourne said. “And that’s how we all need to think in a team way. We’re all the guy. You just never know when that moment is going to be important for you to be the guy. If you can think like you’re a No. 1, then you’ll play like a No. 1. You’ll get the result of a No. 1. The ball controls itself. The scheme goes toward one way. If you’re the No. 1, you might sometimes get double teamed, so we all need to think we’re No. 1s. So I don’t think there’s a No. 1.”
So far in practice, Smith-Schuster and Parker have been the unquestioned starters. Bourne has served as a No. 3, and the fourth spot on the depth chart is up in the air. Thornton — a 2022 second-round pick — had been holding it down until he recently missed practices. Douglas has seen reps over Thornton, and Boutte is also in the mix.
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