Boutte available for trade?

[DaBruinz]

He’s had 500 yards receiving the last two seasons.

They’re not trading anything but a role player.

Boutte had over 550 yards in each of the last 2 years despite having different OCs.
He improved from 4 drops on 68 targets to 1 drop on 46 targets.
He also doubled the number of TDs from 3 to 6.

Boutte went from a 63.2% catch rate to a 71.7% catch rate.

Boutte had 760 snaps in 2024 and 607 snaps in 2025. Claiming he's a "role player" is disingenuous at best.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Everybody take the few facts we do know and process the cause and effect. (sorry to repeat the above. We're doing it a statement at a time.)

Brown is not a New England Patriot.
Boutte is a New England Patriot.
Boutte is on the last year of his contract.
Boutte is not a free agent this year.
Therefore, it is not a now-or-never thing to solve Boutte's contract.
Also therefore, it is not significant if there is not motion now on Boutte's contract.

Is there any significance to the arrival or non-arrival of Brown in N.E. for the Boutte situation? Yes. There are finite resources to use on WRs, although keeping both is obviously the null hypothesis if we do get Brown; it's the Boutte trade that's speculative, not the idea that both would be on the team.

So he's saying "if we trade him, here's what I imagine us getting." Okay. Then somebody else says "Breer says Boutte is moving on and here's the trade he'll get." Then we're off to the races.

I mean, could be. To me it looks like we all just convinced ourselves Brown is on the team. Can't wait to see what we know in June. I'm bored too LOL.

 

[rkarp1]

Everybody take the few facts we do know and process the cause and effect. (sorry to repeat the above. We're doing it a statement at a time.)

Brown is not a New England Patriot.
Boutte is a New England Patriot.
Boutte is on the last year of his contract.
Boutte is not a free agent this year.
Therefore, it is not a now-or-never thing to solve Boutte's contract.
Also therefore, it is not significant if there is not motion now on Boutte's contract.

Is there any significance to the arrival or non-arrival of Brown in N.E. for the Boutte situation? Yes. There are finite resources to use on WRs, although keeping both is obviously the null hypothesis if we do get Brown; it's the Boutte trade that's speculative, not the idea that both would be on the team.

So he's saying "if we trade him, here's what I imagine us getting." Okay. Then somebody else says "Breer says Boutte is moving on and here's the trade he'll get." Then we're off to the races.

I mean, could be. To me it looks like we all just convinced ourselves Brown is on the team. Can't wait to see what we know in June. I'm bored too LOL.

everything you said is correct
what you didn't say was that both Brown and Boutte could be on the team (and Doubs)
Hollins (and Pop) could be odd guys out
Williams could be a bust
Boutte is at $3m against the cap
keep him

if you are a betting man, who has better counting stats in 2 years, Brown or Boutte? 3 years? 4 years?

 

[Ross12]

I didn't count the kickers. For one Baringer isn't even good.

I already counted Boutte. He's the 1 out of 23.

I did not count Pop Douglas.

If you want to count him, then it's 2 out of 23.

Are we really counting Julian Ashby as a success story?

I don't know why you aren't counting the kickers. Borregales was at least average as a rookie, not sure how he "wasn't even good". And Baringer just doesn't count because... reasons?

I'm also not sure why you aren't counting Ashby. He's a good long snapper. Everyone needs a long snapper. So he doesn't count because... reasons?

Pop Douglas doesn't count because... reasons? Here's their career stats:
Douglas - 146 receptions, 1629 yards, 11.2 YPR, 6 TDs
Boutte - 78 receptions, 1159 yards, 14.9 YPR, 9 TDs

Boutte has a higher yards per reception and more TDs but Douglas has significantly more yards and receptions, so when you said "starters or contributors" and counted Boutte, I don't see how you couldn't count Douglas, considering he's output 50% more yards and almost 100% more receptions than Boutte over 3 years.

 

[Boomer B]

I like Boutte and he is definitely a gamer, but the reality is that he’s a limited WR that doesn’t have great numbers. He’s a contested catch guy who makes the most of his ability. If we bring in Brown he gets buried further in the depth chart, and likely becomes a FA. Better to take a 5th now if the plan is to bring on Brown and continue to develop Williams.

WR depth chart 2026

Brown
Doubs
Williams
Pop
Hollins
Boutte
Chism

 

[Wozzy]

Boutte had over 550 yards in each of the last 2 years despite having different OCs.
He improved from 4 drops on 68 targets to 1 drop on 46 targets.
He also doubled the number of TDs from 3 to 6.

Boutte went from a 63.2% catch rate to a 71.7% catch rate.

Boutte had 760 snaps in 2024 and 607 snaps in 2025. Claiming he's a "role player" is disingenuous at best.

Your right, he had starter snaps with role player results.

If you made Boutte your starter on your fantasy team you lost.

The way you guys bend over backwards to shine coal into diamonds is a laugh riot. 500 yards is 500 yards.

 

[Wozzy]

I don't know why you aren't counting the kickers. Borregales was at least average as a rookie, not sure how he "wasn't even good". And Baringer just doesn't count because... reasons?

I'm also not sure why you aren't counting Ashby. He's a good long snapper. Everyone needs a long snapper. So he doesn't count because... reasons?

Pop Douglas doesn't count because... reasons? Here's their career stats:
Douglas - 146 receptions, 1629 yards, 11.2 YPR, 6 TDs
Boutte - 78 receptions, 1159 yards, 14.9 YPR, 9 TDs

Boutte has a higher yards per reception and more TDs but Douglas has significantly more yards and receptions, so when you said "starters or contributors" and counted Boutte, I don't see how you couldn't count Douglas, considering he's output 50% more yards and almost 100% more receptions than Boutte over 3 years.

Seemingly overlooked is how Douglas had more receptions and yards than Boutte in 2024, he was better… why aren’t people battling this hard for Douglas? He needs a contract too….

 

[Wozzy]

if you are a betting man, who has better counting stats in 2 years, Brown or Boutte? 3 years? 4 years?

Assuming health, Brown and it’s not close.

Boutte wants a new contract. What part of this don’t you people understand?

 

[rkarp1]

Your right, he had starter snaps with role player results.

If you made Boutte your starter on your fantasy team you’d lose.

The way you guys bend over backwards to shine coal into diamonds is a laugh riot. 500 yards is 500 yards.

you cannot achieve counting stats with out targets. Snaps are irrelevent if he doesn't see the ball
Boutte's catch percentage was insane
His yard per catch were league high
he also missed a couple of games.
his potential upside over Hollins last year? give me Boutte every time.

 

[rkarp1]

Assuming health, Brown and it’s not close.

Boutte wants a new contract. What part of this don’t you people understand?

the part where he already is under contract

 

[rkarp1]

Seemingly overlooked is how Douglas had more receptions and yards than Boutte in 2024, he was better… why aren’t people battling this hard for Douglas? He needs a contract too….

he doesn't. he is under contract this season
Pop had a nice season too.
Vrabel seems to prefer WR's that can block and catch contested balls. neither is Pop.
doesn't mean is not a good WR.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

It will be sad to lose him, just because of the growth and maturity we've seen through the toughest 3 years of Pats history in a long time. You love to see those home grown loyal guys get rewarded...
BUT - I've been saying it for months, AJ is a better version of Boutte. They play the same role & style, and it'd be a waste to roster Boutte if he's just going to be a healthy scratch for the season and lose him next year in FA for nothing.
He could certainly help a team as a #3

AJ, Doubs, Hollins, Williams, Pop is a top 10 WR corp. Add either Chism or Dixon as a possible 6th, and we're set.

You really think Boutte would be DNP?
LMFAO

 

[PatsFanInVa]

everything you said is correct
what you didn't say was that both Brown and Boutte could be on the team (and Doubs)
Hollins (and Pop) could be odd guys out
Williams could be a bust
Boutte is at $3m against the cap
keep him

if you are a betting man, who has better counting stats in 2 years, Brown or Boutte? 3 years? 4 years?

Not arguing that. He's young enough, and the partnership with Maye is new enough, that you can't say for certain you've seen the whole upside, and more to the point, there's no indication that he'll be unable to continue being a role player at the level he is now. That's a hell of a result for a 6th round guy, as is the case with Douglas.

But to hear the comments on our WR room, we're just not good enough. You need to therefore ditch a guy or two.

Let's say we do get Brown. We just picked up Doubs, so he's safe. Do we carry a total of 7? That leaves 5 spots. Kyle Williams is still shiny and new. We want to see that upside. We're down to 4. Those 4 (on the outside) receivers have to cover Boutte, Hollins, Douglas, and 1 more spot for Efton Chism, Other Kyle, Jeremiah Webb, Jimmy Kibble (I envision a late-night host with a dog head,) and Nick DeGennaro.

Since I'm a NE fan I know who Efton Chism is. The other guys are nothing (yet). They have to shine (and/or shine on STs) to make the cut. Webb is a returning UDFA we got in 2025. Other Kyle/Kibble/DeGennaro are 2026 UDFAs.

To your point about the effect of time, Diggs > Doubs, in the snapshot. What will they respectively be in 3 years? Maybe this is AI fckery, but I was surprised that CoPilot just told me that there are no other WRs on rosters right now over 30 - that surprised the hell out of me. (Diggs is 32.)

But also clearly, if Diggs will do his thing for a manageable amount of money (not his goal, I am sure,) I'd love to have him back. I'm unclear on whether he's just "testing the market" as a 32-year-old receiver, or whether he's gone. Somebody wants that 1000 yards of production, if the price is right (accounts for his age.) But does anybody want to pay him for any length of time at a high APY? we'll see. If not, and he comes down to where we are happy to have him back... feels like that takes the last spot off the table.

 

[Wozzy]

you cannot achieve counting stats with out targets. Snaps are irrelevent if he doesn't see the ball
Boutte's catch percentage was insane
His yard per catch were league high
he also missed a couple of games.
his potential upside over Hollins last day? give me Boutte every time.

You cannot achieve targets without playing time... Boutte had the 2nd most WR snaps on the team. So that's no excuse. You want more stats.... get open more.

Drake Maye's yards per attempt was league high, Boutte was the outside the hashes WR... I'd expect his yards per catch to be high. Drake doesn't have Mc Jones arm, he has a cannon.

Nobody is counting on Hollins, he's the oldest WR on the roster and one of the oldest guys on the team... and he doesn't have a contract beyond this year. He may not care as much as Boutte does, he probably knows he's retiring soon.

 

[Wozzy]

the part where he already is under contract

A piece of paper isn't going to stop him from being a malcontent and a distraction.

 

[Pape]

AJ Brown isn’t pushing to join NE because they’re desperate.

You’re confusing last year with this one.

the move on brown isnt desperation.

overpaying for romeo was

 

[WhatJustHappened]

Boutte can have another season like last, and do fine in free agency
rather than give him away, play him along with Brown and Doubs.
16 ypc
27 1st down catches
6 td's
46 targets
70% catch rate

all sounds like a great player in this offense
he is under contract at a reasonable rate
if you lose him AFTER 2026 in free agency, so be it. get as much out of him on the field as you can now.
with Brown and Doubs, he will see plenty of open targets

**** Brown, he's a fkn LOSER.

 

[Wozzy]

the move on brown isnt desperation.

overpaying for romeo was

Doubs has outproduced Boutte every season. Despite the exploding WR contract market, Doubs is still the 22nd paid WR in the NFL in value and guarantees and 28th in AAV. He's hardly overpaid, he's just a product of an overinflated WR market.

 

[DaBruinz]

Oh my god, seriously?

I'm supposed to count Ashby and the kickers as success stories?

STOP.

Pop Douglas most of the board wants him off the team, and he has not really done much outside his 1st year.

Yes. Seriously. You're being ridiculous here because you couldn't be bothered to state what your criteria was for a "hit". You also are the one who attempted to judge a draft after just 1 year.

If you aren't going to count Borregales and Barringer, then you shouldn't count the picks at all. You chose to count the pick in an attempt to exaggerate the situation. You should count Borregales because I even provided you with a perfect example of a player who was a 5th round kicker who was cut in Rohrwasser. Proof that drafted kickers aren't guaranteed anything.

It doesn't matter what "most of the board wants". What matters is that he's been a solid, though unspectacular player, for the team since he was drafted. Your little quip of "he's not done much" is ridiculous because, like Boutte, last year was his 3rd OC in as many years.

You presented a majorly flawed argument and, when given the chance to clarify, you chose to get defensive and stand your ground on said flawed argument.

 

[DaBruinz]

Doubs has outproduced Boutte every season. Despite the exploding WR contract market, Doubs is still the 22nd paid WR in the NFL in value and guarantees and 28th in AAV. He's hardly overpaid, he's just a product of an overinflated WR market.

Doubs had the same HC and OC each of his 4 years in GB. Boutte had 3 different HCs and OCs in his 1st three years.

Boutte is also 2 years younger than Doubs and had maturity issues when he entered the league.