What Kayshon Boutte's Minicamp Usage at Means for the Patriots

Kayshon Boutte returned to the New England Patriots after missing OTAs this spring and had an interesting week at mandatory minicamp. The wide receiver -- who's been lumped into trade conversations following the Patriots going out and acquiring A.J. Brown -- was present for all three days of practice, but his participation varied each day.

For the first two days, the 2 4-year-old Boutte was a full participant, working in both individual and team drills. He repped with the second string offense, catching a fade route from Tommy DeVito in the end zone (he was ruled out of bounds). The second day of minicamp was a slower-paced walkthrough session, not really giving any context clues to his participation levels.

But Boutte not being part of team drills on the final day made some people perk up. Why would the fourth-year receiver, one who's openly said he'd like to remain with New England for his entire career, not participate?

There's plenty of factors that could have been at play. But it's really hard to not look at a possible trade in Boutte's future. His skillset, one that helped him become the Patriots' top target in the deep game a year ago, is really redundant to Brown's, and Boutte's services can now be expandable.

Kayshon Boutte's Minicamp Snaps Fluctuated

When asked after the first day of minicamp about his thoughts, he didn't mince words. Boutte wants to stay with the Patriots.

Jun 9, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (9) waits for his turn at the podium after minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

"I wouldn’t mind being here, I do want to be here," he said. "Whether that’s at X, Z, F, whatever I’ve got to do that’s best for me. Whether that’s learning the playbook more or moving around, there’s only one football and there’s five of us, you know?"

Part of the reason why Boutte might not have been at 100% participation is just because of him skipping out on the voluntary OTA sessions. He was one of several veterans to not report, and head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters that each of those players have specific plans in place to ramp them back up to full speed.

"I do not know if he will participate fully, just because I do not think that is fair to him to just say, 'Hey, go run 20 reps,'" Vrabel said prior to the first day of minicamp. "Again, I think that part of this is about evaluating where guys are, getting them reacclimated to what the new stuff is that we are putting in in the red zone.

Boutte: "We'll See How It Goes"

"Then based on how he does and looks, I think that could certainly change. But again, we want to be smart with everybody that we have. For the guys that we have not seen, I think it is only right to make sure that they are where everybody else is based on how we practice."

So for now, Boutte remains with the Patriots. That could easily change, considering the logjam that's the Patriots wide receiver room right now. If it's not Brown, it's one of the 10 other receivers that are fighting for spots on the roster (Romeo Doubs, Kyle Williams, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, Efton Chism III, Jeremiah Webb, Kyle Dixon, Cameron Dorner, Jimmy Kibble and Nick DeGennaro).

That logjam makes Boutte a logical trade partner in the coming weeks. Maybe he goes to the New York Giants, who may need a wide receiver and have a logjam of their own at edge rusher (Kayvon Thibodeaux, anyone?)

"At the end of the day, it is going to be what’s best for me whether that’s here or somewhere else," Boutte said. "I hope it’s here, but we’ll see how it goes."

Despite the trade rumors, limited snaps in practice and what appears to be a dead end road for him in New England, Boutte is continuing to work his way onto a football team this summer.

"It’s been getting crowded every year," Boutte said. "We find ourselves in the same position at the beginning of every offseason, but at the end of the day you’ve still got to come to training camp and fight. No spot is given no matter who it is. At the end of the day, you’ve still got to go out and perform."

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