The New England Patriots have had an amazing first season under new top man, Mike Vrabel. The new Head Coach not only shook out the team's 2024 roster like an old rug but also had great success in enhancing the performances of some former team members. One is wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, and Vrabel is thrilled with the wide receivers' growth this season.
The third-year 23-year-old receiver had 33 receptions for 551 yards and six touchdowns in 2025. Yet, he also added a whopping 27 first downs to those six touchdowns. That means every one of his receptions was a big play. Those numbers even surpass the stratospheric big-play numbers Mack Hollins notched for Buffalo in 2024. That's not getting enough attention.
Boutte came aboard from LSU in 2023 as a sixth-round draft pick, 187th overall, by Bill Belichick. It turned out to be a good one. Boutte's growth has been solid, and while he had more catches and yards in 2024, his big plays have taken his game to a new level. And his Head Coach, Mike Vrabel, is appreciating what he's seen.
Mike Vrabel lauds Kayshon Boutte's growth during the 2025 season
While rumors abounded about a possible trade in the offseason, Boutte responded not with an indifferent attitude but with hard work and dedication.
It's paid off big-time for the Patriots. Now, his Head Coach, Mike Vrabel, has clearly recognized the young receiver's growth.
What did HC Mike Vrabel think of the Kayshon Boutte catch? Vrabel: Kayshon's growth as a person and as a teammate... Really just seeing him open up since I've been here" How does Vrabel think Drake Maye has played this postseason? Vrabel joins @GilletteStadium #Football #NFL pic.twitter.com/tWt1hEbdHf
— The Greg Hill Show (@TheGregHillShow) January 19, 2026
Vrabel obviously saw something in the young wideout, and there was little doubt that he'd make the roster. It turned out to be an astute decision by Vrabel among a whole host of others. Boutte's big-play quotient is off-the-charts.
While it's seldom recognized, racking up either a touchdown or a first down with every catch you make may be unprecedented. It can't be overestimated in its value to the team.
It may be time to give Kayshon Boutte a contract extension
While Kayshon Boutte's numbers aren't astronomical in any way, the value of his providing those big plays is huge. He's become a reliable target for Patriots quarterback and MVP candidate Drake Maye in the biggest of circumstances. He makes big catches at important moments in big games.
Boutte has been an integral part of the Patriots' success this season, despite his relatively modest catch totals. If he doesn't enter restricted free agency and leave after this season,
If he can up those totals with more targets in 2026, he'll certainly merit a new contract.
With 12:58 left in the game against the Texans, Maye unleashed a pass that lofted over the defensive back and was caught one-handed by Boutte in the end zone for a touchdown. It was one of the most spectacular and clutch catches ever by a Patriot in a playoff or any other game.
Only Julian Edelman's masterclass against Atlanta in the Super Bowl (which was not for a touchdown) can surpass that catch in both its impact on the game and its drama.
Boutte's one-handed grab for a touchdown was only one play, but it was a defining one. They were the final points for the Patriots, sealing the win and a trip to Denver for the AFC Championship game.
Mike Vrabel is right to laud Boutte's progress. If he can make a few more caches like that in the Denver game, and maybe a subsequent one, he may just help add a seventh Lombardi Trophy to the Patriots' trophy cabinet.