Jets Now Have Sneaky WR to Trade for in Lead Up to Draft

The wide receiver position will be top of mind for the New York Jets once the 2026 NFL Draft festivities kick off on Thursday. However, the reality of this class is that there are question marks with even the premium tier of guys, which could dissuade general manager Darren Mougey from spending too many resources there during the draft.

That opens the door for the Jets to look at veterans to bring in before, during, or after this weekend, in case leadership thinks its capital could be better spent on other positions when they're the clock. This includes trade possibilities, as other teams have veterans they're preparing to move on from in the aftermath of their offseason moves, including the rival New England Patriots.

A name that has come up in trade talks is #Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte, who is entering the final year of his contract, according to multiple league sources.

With Romeo Doubs coming in and the eventual AJ Brown trade, teams believe he could be available for the right price. pic.twitter.com/72kYySVxKL
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 20, 2026

Such now appears to be the case for the Patriots and wideout Kayshon Boutte, who is believed to "be available for the right price," according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Considering the state of New York's WR room and what Boutte could offer, this buzz adds a potential new wrinkle to Gang Green's ongoing receiver search.

Kayshon Boutte trade idea for Jets worth weighing as they head into draft

Boutte finds himself on the trade block as New England not only signed Romeo Doubs to a $68 million deal in free agency, but the defending AFC champs are also expected to land star WR A.J. Brown in the coming weeks, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Considering he's now at least the third fiddle and on the last year of his rookie deal, it makes sense the Pats would take stock of his market since it's unlikely he sticks around past 2026.

The LSU product getting squeezed out could be the Jets' gain. After a poor rookie season, Boutte has established himself as a legitimate supporting weapon in the passing game with over 500 receiving yards in each of the last two campaigns.

Impressively, Boutte managed that figure despite seeing his targets (46) and receptions (33) drop from the 2025 campaign (68, 43). He did that by becoming even more of a threat to rip off big gains, as evidenced by his staggering 16.7 yards per reception.

This past campaign was also a positive step forward in other areas. Boutte became a legitimate playmaker in scoring position, recording six touchdown grabs during the regular season. Then, in his first taste of playoff action, the wideout wound up as one of the Pats' most prolific options, recording 141 combined yards and another score in their first two postseason games before the wheels fell off for New England's passing game.

Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte catches the ball for a touchdown in the playoffs. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

It is incredibly easy to see how Boutte would be a valuable addition to New York's WR depth chart. He's just turning 24 next month, and there's plenty of potential yet to be discovered. After all, he was forced to play for three different head coaches in each of his first three NFL seasons.

The fact that Boutte handled that adversity and managed to produce in spite of it shows the kind of resilient player who'd be a perfect fit for a rebuild in the Big Apple. His experience going through a massive turnaround with the Patriots could also provide Jets players with first-hand insight into what they could become.

Considering Boutte was a sixth-round pick as well, that's another tick on his résumé in terms of being a good fit. He had nothing guaranteed for him and was forced to earn his place in the pros. That's the type of player who can help set the tone in the locker room, which is needed to ensure New York's losing—which very well could continue in 2026—doesn't instill a damaging culture with little aspirations.

Kayshon Boutte trade cost shouldn't make much of a dent

The cost to acquire Boutte is certainly a factor to be mindful of in any hypothetical deal. New England may not easily part with a receiver who makes their current room better. The fact that it's other teams reaching out to the Pats instead of the inverse also could drive up the price regarding a trade.

That being said, Boutte isn't a star yet, which lessens worries of a significant trade package being required. His contract also being at end hurts the return for the Pats as well, since his new team would be quickly faced with having to pay him a significant raise in less than a year.

The Jets, who are flush with draft capital in this draft and next, could easily earmark a pick or two to make a deal happen. The Eagles just nabbed fellow class of '23 wideout Dontayvion Wicks from the Packers for a 2026 fifth-rounder and 2027 sixth-rounder. Both wideouts' production is very similar, so the final package shouldn't stray much from the price Philly paid.

By adding Boutte, New York would get an ascending deep-threat playmaker that opposing secondaries have to pay at least some mind to. That role complements the possession-heavy Garrett Wilson incredibly well, and he'd be great competition with experience to push Adonai Mitchell in this summer's WR2 race.

With a trio of Wilson-Boutte-Mitchell, the Jets wouldn't have to reach for a second-tier WR in the early rounds of the draft either, opening even more paths with the team's top picks this weekend.

Add us as a preferred source on Google