Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown being a member of the New England Patriots once it is more financially viable to make a trade after the June 1 deadline is the worst-kept secret in the NFL. And the ripple effect for Kayshon Boutte is significant.
After two solid seasons with the Patriots and entering a contract year, Boutte understandably wants a new deal. But with Brown's contract looming and Romeo Doubs being added into the equation this offseason, not even Stefon Diggs' release opens up enough space to pay all of them.
So, if the Brown trade goes through, as most expect it to, then Boutte could be the odd man out if he isn't happy playing with his current pact. And his next team is now obvious after the latest batch of NFL breaking news: The Kansas City Chiefs.
Kansas City Chiefs may want New England Patriots' Kayshon Boutte after Rashee Rice drama
Trading with the Chiefs probably feels like making a deal with the devil for most Patriots fans. But Kansas City's general manager, Brett Veach, is already in a troublesome situation at wide receiver, and the Patriots could soon cash in on the surplus that they have at the position.
Even with Rashee Rice on the roster, the Chiefs' pass-catching weapons are suspect, at best. They're counting on players like Xavier Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Royals, Cyrus Allen and Jeff Caldwell to be something more than what they are, which is average NFL players at best.
Travis Kelce has proven to be mortal and rapidly aging, and Patrick Mahomes needs a bona fide No. 1 option. Rice should be that, but he continues to be absent and embroiled in controversy, the latest being a Tuesday arrest that will see him miss both OTAs and mandatory minicamp.
Oh, and Rice is dealing with a shoulder injury that should sideline him for two months, which, between these two issues, causes even more issues for the wideout room in Kansas City. Enter Boutte, who Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer not-so-kindly reported could be had for a mere fifth or sixth-rounder.
Kansas City is likely to at least entertain that idea with not much proven behind Rice, and Rice's future is anything but clear at this point. And with the money that the Chiefs likely had set aside for Rice, they could use it to pay Boutte and probably another starter or two instead.
Ideally, Veach and the Kansas City front office don't try to back-door New England for Brown. I don't think they have the resources to make such a deal happen. And it is always possible that Boutte is a key part of the Patriots' trade with the Eagles for Brown.
But the Chiefs look like a team that obviously needs some reinforcements at wide receiver, but they can't spend a ton of draft capital to do so. That's why New England could be a perfect trade partner for them, with Boutte at the center of the deal.
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