FOXBOROUGH — When the Patriots took the field for Friday night’s exhibition game against the Panthers, there was a surprising absence in the wide receiving corps.
Kendrick Bourne was nowhere to be found.
The wide out didn’t sustain an obvious injury during joint practices with Carolina, but did endure a tumultuous week. Bourne drew Bill Belichick’s ire for an equipment issue Tuesday, and not long after, he was kicked out of practice for throwing punches in a sideline brawl. When he returned Wednesday, Bourne began repping with the backups.
Asked why Bourne didn’t suit up on Friday, Belichick was brief.