Patriots News: Kayshon Boutte, Tom Brady, and Pharaoh Brown

It's getting to that point in the 2023 season when it seems like there is so much news happening every single day and not enough time to keep track of it all.

So, to make things a bit easier, here are the biggest stories regarding the Patriots as we head into the weekend, eagerly awaiting their next matchup against the Dolphins on Sunday.

Bill Belichick gives blunt response when asked about Kayshon Boutte's availability

There have been a lot of questions surrounding the status of Kayshon Boutte within the Patriots offense over the weeks, mainly because he has been a healthy scratch for the last six games. Since he had picked up some steam during the preseason and the excitement grew about his potential on the team, his absence has left many wondering why Bill Belichick has kept him off the field for nearly half the season.

The concerns peaked earlier this week when Jalen Reagor was signed to the 53-man roster, becoming the seventh wide receiver signed to the team. Because Belichick tends to carry five pass-catchers for game day, it likely means two receivers will be sidelined for every game moving forward.

The assumption remains that Boutte will be one of those players, with no real explanation for why he hasn't been given more opportunities. But that changed on Friday when the head coach was asked directly how Boutte can ensure he is one of the active players on game day, and his response was seemingly more telling than what his words were actually saying.

"It’s a very competitive situation. I feel like we have a lot of competition at that position. Everybody’s in it. The guys who perform the best play the most, the guys who don’t need to perform better.

They’re all competing. We have a number of players that I think are all — again, it’s very competitive. We’ll see how that goes."

Based on that answer, it doesn't give the impression that Boutte will be taking the field any time soon. But why?

As a sixth-round draft pick, there weren't intense expectations for him coming out of the draft. There had been at one time, though, since he was previously believed to be a first-round prospect. Poor performances and alleged issues with a new coaching staff at LSU altered that, making him fall to the Patriots at pick 187 in the 2023 draft.

He flashed a bit during the summer and became the most hyped receiver (outside of Demario Douglas) coming into the season, but he didn't live up to it in the game against the Eagles in Week 1. Boutte was targeted four times in that game, dropping two and not catching the others.

But does that warrant him to be in the Belichick doghouse?

Perhaps there's more to the story than what we know because it really doesn't make much sense if it's all performance-based. Boutte is a rookie and has only been given one opportunity to play in a real NFL game. It's not exactly fair to judge him based on that performance alone.

It would be nice to see Belichick give him more chances this season, especially since the offense is still trying to work out some kinks and build cohesion. Boutte looked like he could be a great weapon for Mac Jones to work with, so it's time to see what he can do sooner rather than later.

Tom Brady grants wishes to big fans with Make-A-Wish

When a guy like Tom Brady plays in the NFL for as long as he did and accomplished more than anyone could have expected, he will inevitably be adored by millions of fans worldwide. When it comes to New England Patriots fans, many feel almost indebted to the quarterback who brought so much success to their favorite team for two decades and some of the most memorable moments of their lives courtesy of incredible Super Bowl wins.

But maybe unexpectedly, to some, Brady feels the same way about those who have supported him for so long.

He has always been heavily involved in community and charity events throughout his career, especially involving children, and Brady has continued to prioritize that since officially retiring earlier this year. So when he got the call from the Make-A-Wish foundation that a 15-year-old boy named Boston wanted to meet him, he made sure to make that dream happen.

The event, hosted by Fanatics earlier this week, was everything Boston hoped for. Brady spent one-on-one time with him, along with the rest of his family, including his brother, named after the quarterback. He took the time to sign autographs, take some photos, and even ran some drills with all the children.

It's nothing new for Brady, who has worked with the Foundation before and spoke about why he prioritizes these events and what it means to him.

"I always say as often as people think that we're giving to them, they're really giving to us — just in their spirit, their joy of being here and wanting their families to be a part of this too with them.

I've been very fortunate over the years to kind of play a part in a lot of these wishes. Families are happy and that's really what it's all about."

It's not often that you hear anyone in Brady's position acknowledge the appreciation the fans have for him and all that he's given to them over the years, while also ensuring everyone knows how much their support means to them as well.

It was certainly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Boston, who became a big fan of the quarterback during his stint with the Buccaneers.

Pharaoh Brown is the Patriots best tight end right now

Would you ever have thought coming into the 2023 season that a New England tight end would be ranked number one overall in the league by PFF?

And what if you were told that the player was not Mike Gesicki or Hunter Henry? Would you believe it?

Probably not, but it is the truth. Pharaoh Brown, the under-the-radar secret weapon for Mac Jones, so far this season, has been ranked the best at the position in the league through seven weeks, topping Travis Kelce but over four points.

Of course, their workloads are significantly different, as Kelce continues to be Patrick Mahomes' number-one go-to for the Chiefs every week. However, it's still quite an impressive feat for Brown to have achieved from his limited usage this season.

As one of the later signings before opening weekend, Brown has unexpectedly become one of the breakout stars on offense and is on the path to having the best season of his six-year career, even though he's only caught passes in three games so far.

That's definitely noteworthy, but it's what he's done with his opportunities that has been the most exciting.

During his time on the field against the Jets, Raiders, and Bills, Brown has caught 5/5 receptions for 137 and a (58-yard) touchdown, averaging 27.4 yards per catch. He's been everything the offense has needed and more, becoming the instant boost to get them back on track and down the field, which has been a pleasant yet unforeseen surprise to start the year.

It will be interesting to see if his usage will be increased and if he will be able to maintain the performance that we've seen from him thus far as the season continues.