Free Rookie Kayshon Boutte, Requested or Not

Last Sunday the Patriots lost their leading receiver Kendrick Bourne for the season with an ACL injury. New England lost Parker on Sunday as well. He left with a concussion after being hit in the head. He has not practiced yet this week. That leaves the Patriots in need of some production from their wide receivers, and Boutte is a good option to get some more opportunities.

The wide receiver room in New England currently consists of Demario Douglas, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Reagor, Ty Montgomery (who is technically listed as a running back on the Patriots roster) and Boutte. Last Sunday both Boutte and Thornton were among New England’s inactive players in Miami. This week the duo should replace Bourne and Parker in the lineup. It is important for the Patriots to truly see what they have in these young receivers over the course of this season. If they are going to make any big decisions on the 2024 roster, seeing what the players on the 2023 team can do is crucial.

Obviously, it is easy to focus on what Kayshon Boutte did wrong in his NFL debut. It would have been great if he got both feet in bounds on both plays. However, he did flash the ability to get open and to catch the ball. That is not something Mac Jones has seen a lot of from his wide receiver group this season. The most reliable receiver had been Bourne, out for the year now. Douglas has also flashed when given the opportunity but has also found himself in the doghouse due to a fumble.

These New England Patriots will not be playing in the Super Bowl this season, barring a miracle. Allowing young players to show what they can do includes allowing them to make mistakes and get back out there.

One could argue Kayshon Boutte deserved a second opportunity sooner. DeVante Parker, the man ahead of him on the depth chart, has failed to produce himself. This includes a very costly drop at the end of the Raiders loss. Perhaps some young blood will spark this offense and get things going in the right direction. And if Kayshon Boutte, Demario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton, and Jalen Reagor all fall flat when given an expanded role, at least there is no disputing that it is time to move on from some in that group. But first they need to be given a real chance and be set free.