Kayshon Boutte bringing the right mindset to Patriots' wide receiver battle

CBS News

3 days ago

Kayshon Boutte knows he's going to have to fight for a roster spot this summer with a crowded receiver room in New England. But the 23-year-old is bringing the right mindset to the Patriots' offseason workouts.
Boutte understands there is not enough room on the roster for all 12 receivers currently on the depth chart in New England. Chances are only half will make the final 53 come September.
He heard his name in trade rumors around the NFL Draft, and fully understands the roster crunch going on at his position this summer. But Boutte is blocking out all of the noise, and is simply focused on getting better as he heads into his third season in the NFL.
"I heard about it, but I tried not to really put too much time into that," Boutte said following Wednesday's OTA practice in Foxboro. "You know, there's just a lot of people just sitting behind phones and just typing. It's got nothing to really do with me."
What does have to do with Boutte is how he performs on the field over the next three months. That is completely in his control, and he's going to take advantage of every opportunity he gets to prove himself.
"I made a couple plays last year, but the goal is to always make more plays," he said. "Everybody got goals on being a 1,000-yard receiver, but it starts on days like this and getting on the same page as Drake [Maye]. As long as we are on the same page, everything else will take care of itself."
Kayshon Boutte with the Patriots
Fighting for a roster spot is nothing new for Boutte. He was once seen as a potential first-round pick during his early days at LSU, but his draft stock never really recovered when his play took a hit after a 2021 ankle injury that required surgery. With some off-field questions as well, he fell to New England in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
He had just two receptions for the Patriots in his rookie season, but Boutte broke out a bit in 2024 with 43 receptions for 589 yards and three touchdowns. He was one of the lone bright spots in a disappointing group of Patriots pass-catchers last season, highlighted by a strong finish when he racked up 240 of those yards over the final three weeks.
But nothing will be given to Boutte this summer, not with a new regime taking over in New England. Mike Vrabel makes it three different head coaches for Boutte in his three NFL seasons, and he'll be on his third offensive coordinator in Josh McDaniels.
But that doesn't mean everything is completely different for Boutte in New England.
"Nah, it don't feel new. Foxboro is starting to feel like home," he said. "It's what I'm used to."
But will Foxboro continue to be his home after training camp?
Patriots wide receiver battle
Getting passes from Maye or New England's other quarterbacks might prove to be difficult this summer, with a dozen players looking to make their mark. And that's just the receivers on the field and doesn't account for the tight ends or pass-catching running backs. Every snap, every route, every target is going to matter for the team's receivers.
The Patriots brought in Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins in free agency and drafted Kyle Williams in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The odds of those three making the team is extremely high, which will account for half of New England's receiving corps.
Along with Boutte, Demario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne, Ja'Lynn Polk, Javon Baker, and practice squader John Jiles are holdovers from last season. Undrafted free agents Efton Chism III (who had turned heads in OTAs), Jeremiah Webb, and Demeer Blankumsee were also brought in this offseason to compete for a spot. Douglas should be a lock for a roster spot, which makes the margin of error extremely slim for everyone else.
"We've got a lot of guys," Boutte said Wednesday of New England's receiving corps. "There's 12 of us. At the end of the day, there will probably be six of us if we're being honest. Every day is another opportunity to get better and be great. We all know we're in competition, but it's up to us at the end of the day."
Making plays on the field is really just half the battle though. Having a good head on their shoulders throughout the competition will also factor in, and it sounds like Vrabel likes the approach and demeanor Boutte is bringing to the field.
"[He's] working hard. I think that he's gotten in better shape as we started to go on to the OTAs, and I think that's really started to help him as we stack plays together," Vrabel said of Boutte on Wednesday. "In the game, you don't just take a play on and just come off and then go back and forth. Hopefully, you can string together four or five plays as we work down the football field.
"So, I think that he's working to do that. I like his attitude," added Vrabel. "I enjoy his willingness to continue to improve and maybe do some things a little differently."
It will likely be an uphill battle for Boutte this summer, but he's bringing the right mindset and approach to the fight. And while no one knows how the receivers room will ultimately shake out, Boutte says everyone needs to up their game for the Patriots to reach their potential in 2025.
"I feel like we can be so much better. We haven't really reached our potential," said Boutte. "We all know as players that we can improve."