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PATRIOTS NEWS Mandatory Minicamp 6/9-11

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This has been beaten to death, but let’s go…

Boutte doesn’t play the slot as well as Douglas,
Chism or even Hollins as a blocker…. so he’s an outside the hashes WR.

He doesn’t play outside the hashes as well as Brown, Doubs and Williams has shown explosive ability outside.

So Boutte’s the odd guy out… but why not just hold onto him?

Because you can only roster 5-6 WR’s max on the 53 man roster. Because he is in the final year of his rookie contract and wants to play to earn a new contract. Because he has the ability to be a distraction and grouse in the media. Because he doesn’t play special teams and even activating him on gameday is a wasted roster spot. Because there are raw but really talented UDFA rookies in camp like DeGennaro and Dixon who could be as good or better and cost nothing. Because trading Boutte now ensures a draft pick, letting him walk next offseason doesn’t.

It’s cut and dried if you set your emotions about the player aside and look at basic team building.
Wait what?? does Douglas play the Slot well??
 
You may be right, we'll see. I think Brown, Doubs, & Williams are locks. That leaves Hollins, Pop, & Boutte to battle for 2 spots if we only keep 5 (I think Chism is out). The professed emphasis on the running game assures Gilliam a spot, plus likely 3 other RB's and 3 TE's. So it's very possible there's only 5 receivers, meaning only two of Hollins/Pop/Boutte. From what I can tell there's no real cap difference among the 3 if cut, and salaries are similar if kept.
I think Boutte is also a Lock along with Barefoot. Pop and Chism need world beater TC's to be considered.
 
I think Boutte is also a Lock along with Barefoot. Pop and Chism need world beater TC's to be considered.
I think most of us think Boutte is gone and not a lock at all. I still expect them to sign Diggs, if they do, then pop and chism will need to get ready to move on too.
 
I think Boutte is also a Lock along with Barefoot. Pop and Chism need world beater TC's to be considered.
\\,,

I have a sneaky, if unsubstantiated, feeling that Pop is going to "get" this offense this season and once again be that "uncoverable guy" in the slot, and Chism will find himself on the PS or someone else's roster on cut down day
 
I have a sneaky, if unsubstantiated, feeling that Pop is going to "get" this offense this season and once again be that "uncoverable guy" in the slot, and Chism will find himself on the PS or someone else's roster on cut down day
That was the hope all along ken: for a guy who's built like a Slot: it's sad that he has struggled there. Pop always looks incoverable in TC and very Meh in games.
 
No one, I repeat, no one is offering a 3rd or a 4th for a WR who has never cracked had 3 years in the NFL and has never cracked a 600 yard season with a QB who has great ball placement. That is a pipedream
 
That was the hope all along ken: for a guy who's built like a Slot: it's sad that he has struggled there. Pop always looks incoverable in TC and very Meh in games.
He might look like a slot, but he doesn't move like a slot. His 3-cone and short shuttle are both 0.25+ seconds worse than Chism's.
 
He might look like a slot, but he doesn't move like a slot. His 3-cone and short shuttle are both 0.25+ seconds worse than Chism's.
Say wut??
 
No one, I repeat, no one is offering a 3rd or a 4th for a WR who has never cracked had 3 years in the NFL and has never cracked a 600 yard season with a QB who has great ball placement. That is a pipedream

They can showcase him in preseason, and some team will lose a key guy.

Not a 3rd, but a 4th.
 
You may be right, we'll see. I think Brown, Doubs, & Williams are locks. That leaves Hollins, Pop, & Boutte to battle for 2 spots if we only keep 5 (I think Chism is out). The professed emphasis on the running game assures Gilliam a spot, plus likely 3 other RB's and 3 TE's. So it's very possible there's only 5 receivers, meaning only two of Hollins/Pop/Boutte. From what I can tell there's no real cap difference among the 3 if cut, and salaries are similar if kept.
Agree Brown, Doubs, and Williams are locks. I think Hollins is also.

That leaves Boutte and Pop battling for the last slot. I think Boutte has the edge in value between them, with Chism contributing a lot of the same things as Pop but being younger and cheaper.
 
I think most of us think Boutte is gone and not a lock at all. I still expect them to sign Diggs, if they do, then pop and chism will need to get ready to move on too.
I’m giving up hope on Diggs. Vrabel threw enough cold water on that idea.

I think Boutte has a fighting chance to make the roster. I think his chances are better than Pop’s. Chism is likely on the PS unless he lights things up in camp.
 
On a team that wants to run more, is there room for a munchkin WR who can't block?
 
This has been beaten to death, but let’s go…

Boutte doesn’t play the slot as well as Douglas, Chism or even Hollins as a blocker…. so he’s an outside the hashes WR.

He doesn’t play outside the hashes as well as Brown, Doubs and Williams has shown explosive ability outside.

So Boutte’s the odd guy out… but why not just hold onto him?

Because you can only roster 5-6 WR’s max on the 53 man roster. Because he is in the final year of his rookie contract and wants to play to earn a new contract. Because he has the ability to be a distraction and grouse in the media. Because he doesn’t play special teams and even activating him on gameday is a wasted roster spot. Because there are raw but really talented UDFA rookies in camp like DeGennaro and Dixon who could be as good or better

It’s cut and dried if you set your emotions about the player aside and look at basic team building.

It’s not cut and dried.

Is too.

For the love of God, let him go.

Boutte has clearly reached cult hero status with many. We have 4 other starting receivers on the roster that can play the X.

I appreciate what Boutte did, he's good at the catch point, but benefitted from receiving passes from the most accurate down field passer in the league.

Let him go to another team with a more urgent need in his contract year.
 
Last edited:
Is too.

For the love of God, let him go.

Boutte has clearly reached cult hero status with many. We have 4 other starting receivers on the roster that can play the X.

I appreciate what Boutte did, he's good at the catch point, but benefitted from receiving passes from the most accurate down field passer in the league.

Let him go to another team with a more urgent need in his contract year.
I have no problem "letting him go", and he isn't a cult hero for me.
Simply stating that him getting traded is far from bring "cut and dried".
"for the love of God". Comical.
 
Is too.

For the love of God, let him go.

Boutte has clearly reached cult hero status with many. We have 4 other starting receivers on the roster that can play the X.

I appreciate what Boutte did, he's good at the catch point, but benefitted from receiving passes from the most accurate down field passer in the league.

Let him go to another team with a more urgent need in his contract year.

Injuries happen. We need to make it through camp. It costs us nothing to hold him.
 
This has been beaten to death, but let’s go…

Boutte doesn’t play the slot as well as Douglas, Chism or even Hollins as a blocker…. so he’s an outside the hashes WR.

He doesn’t play outside the hashes as well as Brown, Doubs and Williams has shown explosive ability outside.

So Boutte’s the odd guy out… but why not just hold onto him?

Because you can only roster 5-6 WR’s max on the 53 man roster. Because he is in the final year of his rookie contract and wants to play to earn a new contract. Because he has the ability to be a distraction and grouse in the media. Because he doesn’t play special teams and even activating him on gameday is a wasted roster spot. Because there are raw but really talented UDFA rookies in camp like DeGennaro and Dixon who could be as good or better and cost nothing. Because trading Boutte now ensures a draft pick, letting him walk next offseason doesn’t.

It’s cut and dried if you set your emotions about the player aside and look at basic team building.

you keep him because he backs up TWO key players on your roster with a skill set no one else except those 2 players have. Williams doesn't have a similar skill set. He is different WR. He has a skill set you need, but not one to replace AJ or Doubs if either go down.
You are only as good as your best back up in this league, whether it's at OT, LB or WR, etc
 
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