Looking ahead to the Patriots' 2025 season, there are numerous predictions about how the new Mike Vrabel-led team will perform following a disappointing 2024 season. To some analysts and fans, they're destined for a wild-card run in the postseason, while others believe they will show improvement but not enough to be all that impressed.
No matter what ultimately happens, however, there is considerable optimism surrounding several players and their potential contributions to the team throughout the season.
There is an exceptionally positive feeling regarding the offense due to the addition of players like receivers Stefon Diggs and rookie Kyle Williams.
However, they are apparently not the only reasons for excitement, at least according to NBC Sports Boston's Tom Curran, whose latest prediction involving receivers might have some doing a double-take ahead of Week 1.
Latest Patriots' prediction would be a welcome surprise for most fans ahead of a telling 2025 season
While discussing the Patriots' 53-man roster and what to expect from them this fall, Curran shared his latest prediction about the receiving corps, as he believes Diggs will see a bit of a step back in his production from years past.
Because of that, he sees Kayshon Boutte, who had a standout second season last year, leapfrogging him in targets and having a "better statistical season" than Diggs.
"I think that Kayshon Boutte will have a better year than Stefon Diggs."
— Patriots on CLNS (@PatriotsCLNS) August 29, 2025
Checkout @tomecurran & @_AndrewCallahan's reaction to the Patriots 53-man roster on a NEW @PatsInterferenc: https://t.co/5YCmMtKdBz pic.twitter.com/m1YmGWweBy
Considering the Patriots signed Diggs to be the WR1 that Drake Maye needs, it would be quite impressive if a player they already had on the team could have been that guy instead.
If Boutte can build upon what he accomplished in 2024, a season in which he recorded 43 receptions for 589 yards and three touchdowns, it would be a massive jump not many expected to see after his forgettable rookie year. It would be even more impressive if he were to become a more trusted target for Maye than Diggs, since that's why the veteran was brought in.
Curran might have this prediction due to Diggs coming back from an ACL injury, and there are doubts that he will be the same player he once was. While those concerns are certainly valid, we haven't seen anything to suggest he has regressed at all, so it's difficult to make any sort of prediction that is predicated on that becoming a reality.
Regardless, no matter what Diggs is able to accomplish in his first season with the Patriots, it would be incredible to see the rise of Boutte, who was once considered a first-round talent going into the draft but fell to the sixth round, where the Patriots selected him after a down final season at LSU.
There is already a lot of hype around what Efton Chism III and DeMario Douglas will do this year, so to add Boutte into that conversation would be a tremendous gift the team couldn't have prepared for and will make the receiving corps a much-improved and well-rounded group for Maye to work with.