Some of the toughest decisions the Patriots will have to make this summer when it comes time to cut down the roster will be at a position that was among the most problematic for the team last season, and could still be problematic this season even if there are more candidates for jobs on hand.
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The Patriots certainly have more receivers vying for roster spots this year. But whether those receivers are significantly better than last year’s sad-sack group remains to be seen.
New England brought in veterans Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins, as well as drafted third-round pick Kyle Williams. Undrafted rookie Efton Chism has garnered some attention, too.
But Diggs is recovering from ACL surgery and has been notably flighty in his career, a poor backdrop for a guy who is now in hot water over a video that emerged showing him partying on a boat last weekend. Hollins is a career journeyman. Williams and Chism could make the roster, but would still be rookies and unlikely to play much in Year 1.
Patriots Have ‘A Lot of Guys’
Of the Patriots’ old guard of receivers, if the team was seeking to thin out its group, there is really only one player who might have value around the NFL: third-year man Kayshon Boutte, who showed promise at the end of last season. Boutte, who is only 23, had 589 yards on the year in 2024, and racked up 240 of those (on 16 catches) in the final three weeks.
Boutte has confidence entering 2025. He also has ears, though, and has heard the trade chatter.
“I heard about it, but I tried not to really put too much time into that,” Boutte told reporters on Wednesday. “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.”
Moreover, Boutte can do math, and can figure out that the Patriots’ current spate of receivers will cut down drastically by August 31.
“We’ve got a lot of guys. There’s 12 of us. At the end of the day, there will probably be six of us if we’re [being] honest,” Boutte said. “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.”
Kayshon Boutte Improving Conditioning
Coach Mike Vrabel was also asked about Boutte in his pre-practice press meeting on Wednesday.
According to the team website, Vrabel was asked, “What have you seen from Kayshon Boutte so far in that regard?”
He said: “The same as everybody else. 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. 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. I enjoy his willingness to continue to improve and maybe do some things a little differently.”
