New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte understandably stayed away from team headquarters throughout the team’s voluntary spring program. The Patriots’ pursuit of A.J. Brown was one of the NFL’s worst kept-secrets, and amid rampant trade speculation, Boutte seemed as good as gone.
But the Patriots’ former sixth-round draft pick never complained about his uncertain situation. He showed up ready to go for New England’s mandatory minicamp practices, and according to Greg Bedard of Boston Sports Journal, the star of the Patriots’ first two days of training camp has been crystal clear.
“There aren't many candidates, but the offensive MVP through two days has been Boutte, who has come up with the play of the day in each of the first two sessions. Sunday saw him make another leaping and diving grab that ended with his helmet off again (maybe his chin strap should be tightened?). The Patriots are getting him on the field with Brown, so he's making a bid to stick around and make the receivers' numbers game very uncomfortable.”
Kayshon Boutte is making an early statement at Patriots training camp
This is a developing story that should have Patriots fans’ attention. On Saturday, Boutte made the best catch of the day, diving toward the sideline on a deep ball from quarterback Drake Maye. That effort certainly wasn’t lost on Maye, who told reporters after practice: “It’s nothing new. I mean, you guys see it.”
Bedard may have said the quiet part out loud in his analysis. The Patriots’ wide receiver room may not be as set in stone as expected with Boutte looking poised to build off his solid 2025 season as one of Maye’s go-to targets.
New England’s depth chart is currently set to feature Brown and Romeo Doubs at the top, with key roles expected for veteran Mack Hollins and second-year pro Kyle Williams. The other spots have likely been earmarked for DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism, as they bring some slot and special teams versatility.
Where Boutte fits is more uncertain, as he’s now clearly behind Brown as the Patriots’ primary “X” receiver. Josh McDaniels’ offenses have been known to spread the football around, but Brown figures to far and away lead the receiver group in snaps and targets this season.
Complicating matters: Boutte is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and he’s set to play the 2026 season for a non-guaranteed $3.7 million via the NFL’s proven performance escalator system. The Patriots could recoup that full number on this year’s salary cap by either waiving or trading Boutte prior to Week 1.
Committing $3.7 million for a depth wide receiver who doesn’t really play on special teams could be too rich for the Patriots. They were shopping Boutte back in the spring, and those efforts could ramp back up with him on the verge of another big training camp.
But the Patriots are in a clear Super Bowl window, and Mike Vrabel isn’t just going to give away one of the best 53 players on his roster.
Boutte is very clearly in that mix, and he just positioned himself to make things interesting over the next month.
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