Coach Bill Belichick said Bourne "wasn't available" for Friday's preseason game versus the Panthers, Zack Cox of NESN.com reports.
Bourne wasn't involved in pregame warmups and wasn't in uniform for the Patriots' second exhibition. His current standing on the team may stem from being ejected from a joint session with the Panthers earlier this week, but he also recently was relegated to the second-team offense in practice, per Cox. Bourne is part of a crowded wide receiver room in New England, so he may be on thin ice with Belichick and the coaching staff.