With the increasing amount of discourse surrounding the Patriots' chances at trading with the Eagles for wide receiver AJ Brown, the June 1 date inching closer has fans itching for the four-time Pro Bowler to finally suit up with the team that always should have drafted him. And within that conversation is what the team will ultimately give up to acquire him.
The consensus is that it will be a first-round pick in 2028, with insiders doubling down on that being the best package for New England to send. But there's also a strong possibility they will need to include a player in the deal, and all signs point to Kayshon Boutte.
Because he is a player on the rise, with his best season coming in 2025, it would make the most sense for Philadelphia to trade a receiver and acquire one in return.
Not only would they do that, but they'd be getting someone who has shown a lot of potential to be a real threat in the NFL, and could easily rise in the ranks to become a WR2 behind DeVonta Smith.
Now that the trade is only a few weeks away, the conversation around Boutte is heating up to the point of even Patriots insider Mike Reiss voicing his belief that Boutte could be part of the transaction.
Kayshon Boutte probably won't be playing with the Patriots in 2026
During a Monday morning appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub, Reiss was asked about the rumors involving Boutte, and although he didn't say anything definitively, he didn't shut down the idea of the receiver being included in the trade for Brown, either.
Will Kayshon Boutte Be a Trade Piece in the AJ Brown Deal?@toucherandhardy pic.twitter.com/VLyJnlQQOR
— 98.5 The Sports Hub (@985TheSportsHub) May 18, 2026
Despite starting to look like what the Patriots' offense needed since he was drafted in 2024, Reiss points out that there might be some redundancy in the receiving corps if Boutte and Brown were both on the roster.
Because they play a similar game, it's likely that the Patriots would prefer to have just one of them on the team, and as the most trade-worthy receiver they have, it would be unsurprising for Boutte to be the one included in a trade with the Eagles.
It would be a big loss for New England at the same time, since he was a sixth-round pick a year after he was considered a first-round prospect, and they finally started to see those traits from Boutte last year. But if including him in a trade means they will get Brown on the roster, then it's inevitable he will play with the Eagles in 2026.
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