Wide receiver is one of the New England Patriots’ biggest positions of need heading toward the 2025 offseason. What the group will look like next year is therefore unclear, but Kayshon Boutte has started building a case to eventually end up a part of it.
Leading all Patriots wideouts in playing time this season, the sophomore has had his ups and downs but recently made some positive strides. Last week’s game against the Buffalo Bills was the most productive of his career, with Boutte catching 5 passes for 95 yards — including a 31-yard touchdown — in a 24-21 loss.
That outing did not happen by accident. Instead, it was the result of Boutte putting in the work behind the scenes.
“I’m proud of Boutte,” said quarterback Drake Maye. “He’s put the work in. I think it started in the first couple weeks when he was blocking the run game. He got the coach’s eye and now he’s making plays in the pass game.”
Coming off a rollercoaster three-year stint at LSU, Boutte joined New England as a sixth-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Despite his draft status, he ended up seeing considerable snaps and targets in the Patriots’ season opener against Philadelphia. However, Boutte was demoted to a backup role after failing to haul in any of his four targets — including two where he failed to get both feet down in bounds — in his debut. He ended up seeing action in five games, catching 2 passes for 19 yards.
His rather unproductive rookie campaign paired with an offseason arrest for illegal gambling put his future with the Patriots in doubt. However, Boutte managed to stick around (and see his charges get dropped along the way).
He did so by showcasing his professionalism, as head coach Jerod Mayo pointed out on Thursday.
“Coming into the season, he had shown tremendous growth off the field,” Mayo said. “You can tell he’s really a professional. He’s putting in the extra work, and it’s showing up on game day.”
In terms of playing time, Boutte has been the Patriots’ WR1 this season. Taking the field for 69 percent of offensive snaps so far this season, but never dipping below 80 percent in each of the last 10 games, he has been the target of 55 passes over his 13 games.
Boutte hauled in 32 of them for 444 yards and an average of 13.9 yards per catch, tops among New England’s regular offensive contributors. He also has been on the receiving end of two Drake Maye touchdowns.
“Boutte’s been making some big plays for us,” the rookie quarterback said. “My part is that I tell these guys every week, ‘I’m going to give you all chances,’ especially in man. I think we’ve got to be able to beat guys in man, and I think Kayshon’s showing it every week, week in and week out. He’s starting to show it.”
