The New England Patriots were expecting big things from a rebuilt wide receiving core this season, and Kayshon Boutte was one of the guys being counted upon to make an impact. The third-year pass catcher had developed a strong rapport with Drake Maye during the 2024 season, even hauling in the quarterback's first career touchdown pass.
Through six games, Boutte hasn't been spectacular but has been dependable, catching 18 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns. Two of those scores came in Sunday's 25-19 win over the New Orleans Saints, a victory that came in the LSU alum's backyard.
Boutte's athleticism and ability to snatch the ball at its highest points are two of the factors that are drawing the attention of the rest of the league, particularly from Saints' defensive back Justin Reid, who went on to give the Patriots' receiver his flowers on neworleanssaints.com.
"He is just a talented kid. We knew coming into the game that he wins a lot of 50-50 balls. That is how I view him. It is like, hey, if we want to take a 50-50 shot, the ball is going to go to number nine. And he won a couple of them. And, yeah, that's what happened."
Assuming Boutte keeps that up, that could be scary for the rest of the AFC, especially with Stefon Diggs playing well and DeMario Douglas finally having a great game on Sunday. Boutte's critical third-down catch on a back-shoulder throw to clinch Sunday's win was perhaps the most impressive of his five receptions in New Orleans.
Kayshon Boutte can be the Patriots' x-factor on offense this season
We all know what guys like Diggs and Hunter Henry can do, but Maye has been spreading the wealth to the entire Patriots' receiving core, particularly during the team's three-game winning streak.
So where does Boutte come in?
He's proven to be one of Maye's most reliable targets. While his numbers won't pop out at you, every team needs that one receiver who is going to be that "go-to guy" in the clutch.
Julian Edelman gave that to the Patriots for years. I'm not saying Boutte is Edelman, but maybe he's the guy Maye can trust to pick up crucial third downs. Just look at the pass that clinched Sunday's win. Maye put the ball where only Boutte could come down with it, and the receiver had the intelligence to come down in bounds and keep the clock ticking.
If Boutte can keep providing his quarterback with that trust, the Patriots will keep winning.