Guregian: Boutte Requested a Trade Back in April

[Ring 6]

So you did say it.

The benchmark is 1K yards for a regular season... not 21 games.

I said he maxed out at 500+ yards every year he has played. All you've shown is he can't stay healthy.

600-700 yards if everything goes right.... amazing.

Doubs has already done it and he's 6'2." He actually has the potential to improve since he's playing with Drake for the first time.

I don't want to knock Boutte, he's been a good soldier... but they paid AJ Brown and Doubs for a reason.

In 21 consecutive games when he was playing and healthy Boutte put up 64/1007/8. On a 17 game scale that’s over 800 yards.
That real football, real production. That is the level he has produced at. That is an undeniable fact.
Not sure why you are comparing him to Doubs because we start 3 WRs so they aren’t competing but Doubs has never put up 800 yards. Doubs also played 13 full games in 2024.
For 13 games in 2024 plus the first 8 of 2025
Doubs put up 80/1042/8
In the same time Boutte put up 64/1007/8

After the first half of last year Boutte was injured only really played in 5 games and put up 10/120
Doubs healthy played in 8 games and put up 21/283.

So since over the last 2 years their production is almost identical accept for Boutte being injured and Doubs being healthy and having his production drop off.

The numbers you say sucked for Boutte are the same numbers Doubs produced but Doubs had already started for 2 seasons, so he is even less likely to improve.
That’s why we need Brown as WR1 and Boutte and Doubs as 2/3 because they produce similar results but have very different skill sets.

They paid Brown and Doubs because we need 3 WRs. One replaces Diggs, the other upgrades the other of the 3 WR spots next to Boutte

 

[Family]

Whether Boutte got 1000 yards in 21 games or averages 500 yards a year, the only thing that matters is what the Patriots think of Boutte.

As a team that historically hasn't paid much for WRs, the team acquired two large WR contracts in Boutte's contract year. It's doubtful they would put a third on the books next year.

That's what they think.

 

[Wozzy]

In 21 consecutive games when he was playing and healthy Boutte put up 64/1007/8. On a 17 game scale that’s over 800 yards.
That real football, real production. That is the level he has produced at. That is an undeniable fact.
Not sure why you are comparing him to Doubs because we start 3 WRs so they aren’t competing but Doubs has never put up 800 yards. Doubs also played 13 full games in 2024.
For 13 games in 2024 plus the first 8 of 2025
Doubs put up 80/1042/8
In the same time Boutte put up 64/1007/8

After the first half of last year Boutte was injured only really played in 5 games and put up 10/120
Doubs healthy played in 8 games and put up 21/283.

So since over the last 2 years their production is almost identical accept for Boutte being injured and Doubs being healthy and having his production drop off.

The numbers you say sucked for Boutte are the same numbers Doubs produced but Doubs had already started for 2 seasons, so he is even less likely to improve.
That’s why we need Brown as WR1 and Boutte and Doubs as 2/3 because they produce similar results but have very different skill sets.

They paid Brown and Doubs because we need 3 WRs. One replaces Diggs, the other upgrades the other of the 3 WR spots next to Boutte

This ^ is word salad nonsense to deflect from you being wrong.

I can’t keep refuting, when you keep repeating the same wrongheaded dreck over and over.

I can see you are committed to your current level of understanding.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

Once more, I point out that he has great chemistry with our young, still developing star QB. That is a quality that cannot be neglected. It's not like you can just swap out talent for talent. Confidence in a receiver matters.

 

[rkarp1]

Hollins had more offensive snaps than Boutte last year
Diggs and Boutte were in a virtual tie for offensive snaps

since when does snap count correlate to performance?
Boutte had the most production given his usage rate of all the teams WR's
period

 

[Thelonious]

Perfectly reasonable and honorable for Boutte to look matters over and to decide then to ask for a trade in the circumstances. This is doubly the case given he has since apparently been a good soldier and - whichever way it cuts in the end - has demonstrated that he is a quality WR. I hope they keep him. Douglas and Chism seem like good eggs, but if Boutte wins the the job, fair and square, on merit. as it seems he may be doing to this point - they should keep him. One understands that asinine egalitarian ideology and associated delusions have shoved merit aside as the prime criterion in hiring decisions, but hopefully there is still a place for merrit-based hiring in pro athletics, aberrant Rooney Rule notwithstanding.

 

[Wozzy]

since when does snap count correlate to performance?

Being on the field correlates to performance, you can’t perform unless you play.

Getting open is probably next up in the correlation tree.

Diggs wasn’t on the team the year prior and Douglas had more receptions. yards and TD’s.

Have any more excuses?

Boutte had the most production given his usage rate of all the teams WR's
period

You clearly don’t understand how “production” works, but after I lose my fantasy football season this year I’ll tell the commissioner that my WR1 was the most productive despite not having enough receptions, yards and TD’s… maybe he’ll award me style points.

 

[Wozzy]

Perfectly reasonable and honorable for Boutte to look matters over and to decide then to ask for a trade in the circumstances. This is doubly the case given he has since apparently been a good soldier and - whichever way it cuts in the end - has demonstrated that he is a quality WR. I hope they keep him. Douglas and Chism seem like good eggs, but if Boutte wins the the job, fair and square, on merit. as it seems he may be doing to this point - they should keep him. One understands that asinine egalitarian ideology and associated delusions have shoved merit aside as the prime criterion in hiring decisions, but hopefully there is still a place for merrit-based hiring in pro athletics, aberrant Rooney Rule notwithstanding.

Do you believe Douglas/Chism are fighting for the same job as Boutte? I don’t. I think the team clearly delineates boundary WR’s and slot guys.

Maybe they’re giving Boutte more opportunities in the slot, but practice reports don’t seem to reflect that. Douglas is clearly in the slot with the ones… which makes sense.

 

[rkarp1]

Being on the field correlates to performance, you can’t perform unless you play.

Getting open is probably next up in the correlation tree.

Diggs wasn’t on the team the year prior and Douglas had more receptions. yards and TD’s.

Have any more excuses?

You clearly don’t understand how “production” works, but after I lose my fantasy football season this year I’ll tell the commissioner that my WR1 was the most productive despite not having enough receptions, yards and TD’s… maybe he’ll award me style points.

Bull ****
snaps are not a barometer on production or efficiency.
Boutte caught 71% of his targets. he catches balls when open or covered.
his 1st downs and TD's are much more indicitive of his play
his yards per rcpt are much more indicitive of his play
Boutte was one of the more efficient and productive players in the league last season
snaps counts tell you nothing

rather than arguing, tell us you wrong about Boutte playing the most amount of snaps at WR

 

[Wozzy]

Bull ****
snaps are not a barometer on production or efficiency.
Boutte caught 71% of his targets. he catches balls when open or covered.
his 1st downs and TD's are much more indicitive of his play
his yards per rcpt are much more indicitive of his play
Boutte was one of the more efficient and productive players in the league last season
snaps counts tell you nothing

rather than arguing, tell us you wrong about Boutte playing the most amount of snaps at WR

#1 in 2024 and #2 in 2025 for WR snaps, that’s correct… not “wrong.”

Production is the barometer, he is a solid #3 boundary WR, which makes him a solid #4 in any decent WR room.

Good player, but not the guy you overpay. Considering what WR’s are making nowadays, he surely has outsized expectations for what he thinks he deserves.

Next year Drake Maye becomes eligible for an extension, undoubtedly he’ll become one of, if not the most expensive player in the entire NFL. But you think the cap doesn’t exist, so you have ridiculous takes like this one.

They paid Brown and Doubs, they’re not paying Boutte unless he takes a #4 type WR deal… even then, they probably have younger, better, cheaper WR’s already on the roster.

I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.

 

[rkarp1]

#1 in 2024 and #2 in 2025 for WR snaps, that’s correct… not “wrong.”

Production is the barometer, he is a solid #3 boundary WR, which makes him a solid #4 in any decent WR room.

Good player, but not the guy you overpay. Considering what WR’s are making nowadays, he surely has outsized expectations for what he thinks he deserves.

Next year Drake Maye becomes eligible for an extension, undoubtedly he’ll become one of, if not the most expensive player in the entire NFL. But you think the cap doesn’t exist, so you have ridiculous takes like this one.

They paid Brown and Doubs, they’re not paying Boutte unless he takes a #4 type WR deal… even then, they probably have a younger, better, cheaper WR already on the team.

I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.

I didn't put a number or label on him
I didn't say over pay

you said #1 in snaps both seasons. stop lying

he was better than Doubs last year
Brown may only have 1-2 seasons left as a stud.
if Boutte would take 3/$30, he is more than worth it. he then is a free agent again at age 27 yrs old
he is in a great situation here, pending resolving his contract

 

[Triumph]

Whether Boutte got 1000 yards in 21 games or averages 500 yards a year, the only thing that matters is what the Patriots think of Boutte.

As a team that historically hasn't paid much for WRs, the team acquired two large WR contracts in Boutte's contract year. It's doubtful they would put a third on the books next year.

That's what they think.

Gonzos new deal has to hit the books and then Maye is up in 2027.

If Boutte was in the Pats long term plans they would have stood pat and allowed Boutte to shine in 2026 and then reward him with a big money in 2027. Now, Doubs will be receiving a number of Boutte's targets as he acclimates to Maye and the NE offense.

 

[Thelonious]

Do you believe Douglas/Chism are fighting for the same job as Boutte? I don’t. I think the team clearly delineates boundary WR’s and slot guys.

Maybe they’re giving Boutte more opportunities in the slot, but practice reports don’t seem to reflect that. Douglas is clearly in the slot with the ones… which makes sense.

No, I don't necessarily. My point is that Boutte is entitled to ask for a trade and an observation that his behavior and manner to this point have been such that he is entitled to compete on merit for a roster spot. My own view is that when Brown's knee gives way Boutte might make a suitable (though not ideal) fill-in there. As you imply, the distribution of aptitudes among the eventual members of the WR is an important factor, but I don't think it's relevant at this point to my take on how Boutte ought to be regarded by the team. I reject specifically, apropos of the topic of this thread, any notion that his request for a trade ought not at all be held against him.

I mentioned Chism and Douglas only because I think he is a superior receiver overall at this point than either of them with respect. You are right, though, to say that team needs and the balance of skills in the WR group will and should in the end play a role. If the team feels at this point that his skills would not be a fit for the team's needs -a premature view I do not necessarily share - then they should actively be looking to give him the trade he has asked for, since such a firm determination this early suggests that he will not get the fair evaluation I think he deserves.

 

[Huckleberry1]

We know what he wants: a clear path to a big multi-year contract either here or elsewhere.

We know it won't be here since we won't have the cap room to sign him to the kind of contract he wants.

Same situation that we've had all off-season.

Even worse since we signed AJB, because the roster spot situation is now even tighter.

It's still not clear to me if he stays on the roster through cut-down day.

That's exactly what the other teams are waiting to see.

Till then, the trade offers will be crap.

As above, if someone wanted him they would have put late round draft capital on the table.

No one has, so the next decision point IMO is cut-down day.

If a team gives up draft capital for him then Boutte's agent knows they have skin in the game and asks for a big contract.

If a team picks him up as a cut-down victim then they have tons of leverage over him and his agent.

Again, if he was valued more highly then we wouldn't be in this situation, but we are in this situation.

I think they gave Doubs the contract Boutte wanted and he knew he wouldn't be getting a new one of that magnitude and decided he needed to move on to ever get the deal he wanted. The Patriots are going to need to govWR heavy into the season if no one is willing to give up a good pick for him, and given the way he's conducting himself and playing I think the price has gone up. At this point I wouldn't take anything less than a 3rd round pick for him.

The more I think about it the more I think they should pay him and move a different receiver. If they can get him to sign a deal for 13-14 per they should do it and trade Douglass or Hollins. I love Hollins leadership but he's going to be 33 at the beginning of the season, and they have to take the long term into consideration. I like Douglass but they won't be able to pay both he and Boutte, and I would rather have Boutte than Douglass, and if they believe Chism can replace Douglass then I would trade Douglass for a conditional 4th round pick.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Be realistic. Boutte didn’t get max opportunities despite gettIng lots of snaps. He was seldom first read. That was Diggs.

Diggs is listed at 6’0”, Boutte was a bit more than 5’11”, so not much difference there. Diggs is listed as running the forty in 4.46; Boutte ran 4.50, so 0.04 difference.

Boutte has a history and reputation to overcome. Let’s see how he does.

I think Boutte has grown up and overcome that history. He's conducted himself completely professionally since Vrabel got to town, and he's handling his contract situation exactly as they would want him to. I have absolutely no problem with his attitude and effort. If he wants around 20 per I would move him, if they can keep him for under 15 per I would sign him and move a different receiver.

 

[Wozzy]

I didn't put a number or label on him
I didn't say over pay

you said #1 in snaps both seasons. stop lying

he was better than Doubs last year
Brown may only have 1-2 seasons left as a stud.
if Boutte would take 3/$30, he is more than worth it. he then is a free agent again at age 27 yrs old
he is in a great situation here, pending resolving his contract

Boutte wants to get paid now… you pretending like that’s not a factor is maybe why you’re struggling with this.

I literally wrote where he was ranked the last two years in snaps. Stop trying to win a debate on a technicality, that’s dumb. He led the Patriots in snaps if he was top two, they start two WR’s.

Boutte is a #3 or 4 WR at best. Whether AJ Brown has X amount of years is irrelevant.

Boutte has never matched Doubs production, again… you struggle with the definition of “production.”

What Boutte would take would already be resolved if it were nothing. They’re about to make Gonzo the highest paid CB in the NFL, then follow it up by making Drake the highest paid player in the entire NFL.

Again, when you think the salary cap is imaginary, you come up with foolish ideas like this.

 

[Wozzy]

No, I don't necessarily. My point is that Boutte is entitled to ask for a trade and an observation that his behavior and manner to this point have been such that he is entitled to compete on merit for a roster spot. My own view is that when Brown's knee gives way Boutte might make a suitable (though not ideal) fill-in there. As you imply, the distribution of aptitudes among the eventual members of the WR is an important factor, but I don't think it's relevant at this point to my take on how Boutte ought to be regarded by the team. I reject specifically, apropos of the topic of this thread, any notion that his request for a trade ought not at all be held against him.

Brown’s knee hasn’t given out, they can’t live their lives under the assumption it will this season.

Boutte is under contract for this season only, so either you pay him, trade him or let it play out and lose him for nothing in return next year. They’re about to pay Gonzo megabucks… so you can kiss any compensatory picks goodbye.

I mentioned Chism and Douglas only because I think he is a superior receiver overall at this point than either of them with respect.

Not in the slot. Boutte fractured his right ankle in college. The injury required surgery, but the bone did not heal properly, necessitating a second surgery to implant two steel plates and six screws into his ankle. He’s not supremely mobile.

You are right, though, to say that team needs and the balance of skills in the WR group will and should in the end play a role. If the team feels at this point that his skills would not be a fit for the team's needs -a premature view I do not necessarily share - then they should actively be looking to give him the trade he has asked for, since such a firm determination this early suggests that he will not get the fair evaluation I think he deserves.

 

[Family]

They’re about to pay Gonzo megabucks… so you can kiss any compensatory picks goodbye.

Come again????

 

[Triumph]

I think Boutte has grown up and overcome that history. He's conducted himself completely professionally since Vrabel got to town, and he's handling his contract situation exactly as they would want him to. I have absolutely no problem with his attitude and effort. If he wants around 20 per I would move him, if they can keep him for under 15 per I would sign him and move a different receiver.

Boutte skipped 2026 voluntary camp and has asked to be traded. I suspect that Boutte has been more than vocal behind the scenes. Its hard to fathom that Boutte went to Pats management one day and told them "trade me" without any prior conversations.

His effort has been good, but this training camp film will be beneficial in shopping Boutte around and Boutte knows that.

 

[Wozzy]

Come again????

I misspoke. Signing your own players does not affect the compensatory process. But it’s an arbitrary process by the NFL that rarely pays anything back.