This wide receiver's time in New England should come to an end at the trade deadline

Week seven of the 2023 NFL season has come and gone for the Patriots. With the NFL trade deadline approaching and the Patriots sitting at 2-5, it's time to think about who could be on the move ahead of next week's deadline. There is one player who should be traded for the benefit of his career. That would be rookie wide receiver Kayshon Boutte from LSU.

Boutte has only seen the field once this year, in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. That day Boutte was targeted four times but did not haul in a reception. He almost had one catch but he did not get both feet in bounds on fourth down, with that play ending up ending the late comeback bid for the Patriots. Since then, Boutte has not seen the field.

Since starting in week two, Boutte has been a healthy scratch. Wide receiver Jalen Reagor has been elevated from the practice squad twice.

With other players getting a chance to develop on the field and Boutte being a healthy scratch, it makes no sense to keep him. Boutte should be traded. But, what kind of value is there for a receiver who has done virtually nothing on the field?

One team that could make a trade is the Houston Texans. Houston has seen early success this year with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud from Ohio State. But, nobody has stood out so far. One of Stroud's favorite targets, Tank Dell, is currently dealing with a concussion. But what would Houston give up? At best the Texans would give up one of their three seventh-round picks. It's a low-risk high-reward trade for Houston and the Patriots.

Another team is the New York Giants. The Giants' wide receivers have less talent than the broken toys on the isle of misfit toys. Boutte would not only see the field immediately, he would instantly be in the mix to be their top receiver. Plus, a young wide receiver set of Jaylin Hyatt and Kayshon Boutte would test defenses since both can be deep threats. A swap of sixth-round picks would be needed to complete this trade.

Lastly, there's the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mike Evans is set to become an unrestricted free agent and Chris Godwin's contract could end in 2024 if he opts out. The Bucs could be in trouble at the wide receiver position. Putting in Boutte is once again a low-risk high-reward trade involving Boutte. A late-round pick unsurprisingly is what will be needed to complete this trade.