An impressive few weeks by the Patriots' receiving corps continued against the Falcons on Sunday, with Stefon Diggs scoring his second touchdown of the season, and DeMario Douglas having the best game of his career, recording four receptions for 100 yards and a score. Kayshon Boutte was also expected to be a big part of the offensive game plan, but suffered a hamstring injury that forced him to leave the game early.
It was a massive blow to what has been a solid group over the last two months, and now they could be without Boutte for some time. Although he revealed he suffered a grade 1 sprain, there's a chance he could miss more than one game, prompting some Patriots fans to demand the team trade for a wide receiver like Saints' Rashid Shaheed.
He has been near the top of the Patriots' list of desirable targets, mainly because of his age and likely availability ahead of Tuesday's deadline.
For the most part, adding another weapon to the offense didn't seem as necessary as other positions, like pass rusher, but with Boutte sidelined for the time being, some feel it might be worth it for Mike Vrabel and Co. to explore their options on Shaheed.
The Patriots might need to pull of a trade for a wide receiver if Kayshon Boutte is set to miss some time
Rumors have swirled around Shaheed over the past two weeks, with most discussions suggesting the Saints are willing to listen to trade offers, as they hope to rebuild their team into a competitive group next offseason.
The 27-year-old has never been considered a WR1 in New Orleans, and he wouldn't need to be for the Patriots, either, but he has been consistently productive despite the revolving door of quarterbacks since he signed with the team in 2022.
That has remained true even this year, as he has already recorded 44 receptions for 499 yards and two touchdowns. He is performing similarly to Boutte, so adding him to the lineup would certainly make sense, and he could be with the team for years to come.
The problem, of course, will be what the Saints want in a trade. Current reports suggest they'd like a third-round pick for the formerly undrafted player, and looking at the spread of picks the Patriots have stocked up this offseason, they could afford that price easily.
It will come down to how needy they consider the receiving corps to be in Boutte's absence, especially considering how long he could be out. Although he has made it seem like it's nothing serious —and hopefully it's not —Christian Gonzalez's hamstring injury sidelined him far longer than anyone expected, so the same could happen to Boutte.
In that case, a trade for a player like Shaheed makes all the sense in the world. But we'll have to see what Vrabel and Co. feel is necessary before Tuesday's deadline.