The New England Patriots adding star wide receiver A.J. Browns means the team can afford to shed one wide receiver from a deep position group.
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton suggests that the Patriots go for trading wide receiver Kayshon Boutte. The former LSU star and former sixth-round pick has made strides in three seasons with New England.
Boutte has 78 receptions for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns in his young career. His production improved the past two seasons with quarterback Drake Maye, and Boutte had at least 33 receptions for 550 yards and three touchdowns both years.
Moton suggests “an early Day 3 draft pick, which is a decent deal” for a former sixth-round selection. New England could build for the future with that pick and make more efficient use of this year’s roster.
“Quarterback Drake Maye won’t have many targets to spread around after Brown, newly acquired wideout Romeo Doubs and tight end Hunter Henry get their looks in the passing game,” Moton wrote.
Boutte finished third in receiving yards after former star wideout Stefon Diggs and Henry, but Moton details why Boutte makes sense as the wide receiver to go on the trade market. The Patriots could consider numerous other options in the receiver room, such as Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams.
The Case For Trading Kayshon Boutte
Moton explained why Hollins and Williams, in particular, would make less sense with Boutte as a trade option.
“Keep in mind that Mack Hollins has been a consistent contributor in Josh McDaniels’ offense dating back to their time with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022,” Moton wrote. “Kyle Williams, a 2025 third-rounder, has room to grow.”
“With Brown on the roster, Boutte is a No. 3 wide receiver at best,” Moton added. “He’s unlikely to build on a solid 2025 campaign, in which he caught 33 passes for 551 yards and a career-high six touchdowns.”
“Entering a contract year with ascending receiving numbers, Boutte could attract multiple trade suitors,” Moton concluded.
Teams potentially in the market for more wide receiver talent include the Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers, Las Vegas Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs.
Why DeMario Douglas Wouldn’t Make Sense
While Moton didn’t mention Douglas as another receiver to rule out, there’s reasons why Douglas would make more sense to keep.
Douglas has produced more receptions for more yards than Boutte thus far. The former Liberty standout has 146 receptions for 1,629 yards and six touchdowns in three seasons.
They both joined the Patriots the same year in 2023, and Douglas immediately became a threat during a 3-14 season. Douglas has maintained his level of play, and he remains a strong option for Maye in the passing game.
For career highs, Douglas has eclipsed Boutte with 66 receptions and 621 yards in 2024. While Douglas has caught as many touchdowns as Boutte, Douglas’ ability as a possession receiver is valuable to the Patriots’ passing game going forward.
Douglas also went in the sixth round, so he has one year left on his rookie contract of four years, $3.973 million. That’s lower than Boutte’s deal of $4.027 million over four years.
Regardless of trade value, the Patriots will need to consider future contracts for one or both of these receivers in the next year.
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