Kayshon Boutte’s future has been a talking point for a while, but his day-to-day approach in New England has apparently never wavered.
That’s the part Patriots receivers coach Todd Downing keeps coming back to. Ahead of Sunday’s walkthrough at Gillette Stadium, Downing said Boutte’s professionalism has stood out enough that he’ll remember it long after this season.
“It’s an example I will use for the rest of my coaching career, the way that he has just been a pro and shown up every day,” Todd Downing told reporters ahead of Sunday’s walkthrough at Gillette Stadium.
Boutte’s path has been anything but simple. He arrived in New England in 2023 as a sixth-round pick after starring as a five-star recruit at LSU, then worked through a rookie season with limited snaps before growing into one of Drake Maye’s trusted targets. Along the way, he’s dealt with six offensive coordinators in six years between college and the pros, plus trade rumors that have followed him since last season.
Even with all that noise, Boutte has kept producing. He’s coming off a season in which he caught 42 passes for 719 yards and seven touchdowns, but offseason additions A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs have changed the picture around him and pushed his role down the depth chart.
That shift has already prompted Boutte to request a trade this offseason. Still, he has stayed involved in New England’s passing game this summer and has continued to make plays when his number is called. Officially listed behind Brown, Doubs and DeMario Douglas, the fourth-year receiver has repeatedly shown why Maye continues to trust him.
Downing said that trust is backed by more than just catches on the field.
“I have a great relationship with Kayshon and I value that a lot,” added Downing. “I’ll keep our conversations private, but I would say that he is an absolute joy to coach and I’m really glad he’s here.”
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Drake Maye has made it clear he likes what he sees, and his support for the receivers has helped frame the conversation in a way that goes beyond simple numbers. His suggestion that the Patriots could keep seven wideouts is not the normal way these decisions get made, but it does say something about the quarterbacks voice in the building and the desire to keep the room positive while the cutdown process looms. [Read more 🡒]
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Patriots Are Giving Fans A Rare Brady And Gronk Reunion Weekend
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Tom Brady is expected to be part of it, too, since hell be calling the game for the Patriots and is also expected to attend the ceremony. Gronkowski made it official earlier by signing a one-day contract so he could retire as a Patriot, and the setup now gives the fan base a rare chance to see two of the defining figures from the dynasty era back in the same weekend. [Read more 🡒]