Guregian: Boutte Requested a Trade Back in April

[TheRainMaker]

Yes, Boutte could sit out and be traded to whoever the team can send him to in the days before Game 1.

Boutte has chosen NOT to take this route.

Boutte understands that the patriots won't extend him now to a contract acceptable to him. He knew this the day Doubs was signed. He had a decision with regard to his reaction. He stated his case, probably had his agent have several meetings with the team, and then decided to play under his contract, unless the team trades him. As he has said, the NFL is a business.

Boutte will be fine. He'll get plenty of action in his 2nd year in the offense and will score the pay day he's looking for in FA. Going to a potentially bad team with a bad QB now would be an idiotic move on his part. The other team trading for him also isn't going to pay him until they see how he does.

 

[Wozzy]

aaah, so now Boutte is in the same bargaining position as Gonzo?

Boutte was a starter the last two years.

He won’t get Gonzo money, but will still think he deserves to be paid.

Way to move those goalposts though…

 

[Wozzy]

Boutte has matched Doubs production pretty much exactly when he has played and was healthy. You know that. I proved it to you.

Career Highs:
Boutte - 43 receptions, 589 yards
Doubs - 59 receptions, 724 yards

Doubs has been in the league four seasons and eclipsed Boutte’s career high in both receptions and yards 3 out of the 4 years.

So again… wrong.

Boutte can’t stay healthy to be as productive as Doubs, that’s not a flex.

 

[moosekill]

Boutte is a good wr. If he is happy to play this year for the patriots, and the patriots don't get any great offers for him they may as well keep him, unless he is outplayed by the other cusp wr's currently on the roster. Boutte has not, as of yet, been a great wr. Thinking he has been is flat out homerism. Teams need good players as well as great players. Problem is, unless things change, he isn't going to get the snaps like he has the last couple of years, his numbers are going to drop, and he will be a free agent with numbers that are dropping, no size, no speed, and nothing to get him that big payday. It is probably better for him to move on to another team where he will get an opportunity to get those big numbers which will equate to a bigger contract. He sees this and asked for a trade. I have no issue with this at all, unless he starts to make a stink about it going forward. My guess is the pats will just let it play out over training camp and then make a decision when cutdowns come.

 

[Ring 6]

Career Highs:
Boutte - 43 receptions, 589 yards
Doubs - 59 receptions, 724 yards

Doubs has been in the league four seasons and eclipsed Boutte’s career high in both receptions and yards 3 out of the 4 years.

So again… wrong.

Boutte can’t stay healthy to be as productive as Doubs, that’s not a flex.

Butter has not played a full season yet. You know this you are ignoring the truth.

 

[rabidfireweasel]

Butter has not played a full season yet. You know this you are ignoring the truth.

Why not just say they are similarly productive players, in your view.

Over their careers, on a per game basis, Boutte averages 34.1 receiving yards and 2.29 receptions per game and .26 tds, while Doubs averages 41.1 receiving yards and 3.42 receptions and .36tds per game.

In terms of production, Doubs has been slightly more productive. In terms of draft capital spent on the player, Doubs had more. In terms of financial investment, the Patriots chose to invest more heavily in Doubs than in Boutte.
None of those things means that Doubs will be better than Boutte going forward, which is all that matters. Past results do not determine future success. But, we should accurately represent the data points, even if we assign different weights and meaning to them.

 

[Wozzy]

Butter has not played a full season yet. You know this you are ignoring the truth.

His inability to stay healthy is a weakness and reason to move on, not an argument to keep him.

He’s never been as productive as Doubs and had a much better QB in Drake. So you’re wrong and dancing.

 

[rkarp1]

His inability to stay healthy is a weakness and reason to move on, not an argument to keep him.

He’s never been as productive as Doubs and had a much better QB in Drake. So you’re wrong and dancing.

stop lying
Boutte dnp and inactive in 2024 the first 2 games. otherwise he played in every game.
he also only got half the season with Maye. otherwise he played with the slug Brissett.
Doubs has had pro bowler Love for most of his career

Boutte was more productive last year with catch %, yards per catch, yards per target and drops

 

[Wozzy]

stop lying

Be specific… where did I “lie?”

Casually throwing out accusations without evidence is not a rebuttal.

Boutte dnp and inactive in 2024 the first 2 games. otherwise he played in every game.
he also only got half the season with Maye. otherwise he played with the slug Brissett.

Boutte is also playing on a twice surgeried reconstructed ankle. He’s never started more than 13 games.

You guys are supposed to be making Boutte more attractive and provide an argument for him to stay… you’re doing the opposite.

Doubs has had pro bowler Love for most of his career

Jordan Love has never made the Pro Bowl… what did you just accuse me of? Lying… you just lied.

Mac Jones and Tyrod Taylor made Pro Bowls as alternates, Love has never even done that… and it wouldn’t be a flex if he had.

Who is vastly superior throwing… Drake or Love?

Boutte was more productive last year with catch %, yards per catch, yards per target and drops

Those aren’t “production” stats, those are efficiency stats.

And our ancient TE along with almost all of our receivers just improved to near career best in all those categories… because of Drake Maye.

Learn the game.

 

[Ring 6]

Why not just say they are similarly productive players, in your view.

Over their careers, on a per game basis, Boutte averages 34.1 receiving yards and 2.29 receptions per game and .26 tds, while Doubs averages 41.1 receiving yards and 3.42 receptions and .36tds per game.

In terms of production, Doubs has been slightly more productive. In terms of draft capital spent on the player, Doubs had more. In terms of financial investment, the Patriots chose to invest more heavily in Doubs than in Boutte.
None of those things means that Doubs will be better than Boutte going forward, which is all that matters. Past results do not determine future success. But, we should accurately represent the data points, even if we assign different weights and meaning to them.

You are counting games that Boutte barely played in or was injured.

It’s not a matter of Doubs or Boutte being better it’s a matter of a poster saying we don’t need Boutte when he has been equally productive when healthy to one of the other 2 WRs we need in our 3 WR offense.

Here is another way to frame it, that eliminates most of that.
Per 1000 snaps played
Doubs 861 receiving yards, Boutte 781.


Boutte has played 1483 snaps and has 1159 receiving yards.
Doubs in his first 2 years played 1374 and had 1079
Per 1000 snaps Boutte 781 Doubs 785.

More importantly we cannot discount the injury Boutte sustained in week 8 last year.

At that point he had put up 23 catches (on 30 targets) for 431 and 5 TDs.
For half a season he played at a level of 49/916/11
Then he was injured missed 4 games and clearly wasn’t 100%

 

[moosekill]

He was concussed, it wasn't an injury that slowed him down or kept him from catching the ball. By the time he came back, other players had become more familiar with Drake, and more importantly, we started playing playoff games in winter conditions.

 

[Wozzy]

You are counting games that Boutte barely played in or was injured.

This is false.

I ran both 2024 and 2025 through PFR’s spreadsheet only including games he played the majority (80%) of snaps.

Projected out 17 games he still didn’t catch Doubs, he was much closer through.

The fact Doubs will play with a great QB like Drake for the first time blows your take out of the water. Barring injury Doubs will post the best and deepest downfield stats of his career, even playing one of the toughest schedules in the NFL.

 

[rkarp1]

Be specific… where did I “lie?”

Casually throwing out accusations without evidence is not a rebuttal.

Boutte is also playing on a twice surgeried reconstructed ankle. He’s never started more than 13 games.

You guys are supposed to be making Boutte more attractive and provide an argument for him to stay… you’re doing the opposite.

Jordan Love has never made the Pro Bowl… what did you just accuse me of? Lying… you just lied.

Mac Jones and Tyrod Taylor made Pro Bowls as alternates, Love has never even done that… and it wouldn’t be a flex if he had.

Who is vastly superior throwing… Drake or Love?

Those aren’t “production” stats, those are efficiency stats.

And our ancient TE along with almost all of our receivers just improved to near career best in all those categories… because of Drake Maye.

Learn the game.

Boutte wasn't injured in 2024

Boutte did not play with the better QB in 2024 (or 2023)

Both bold faced lies by you

 

[Ring 6]

This is false.

I ran both 2024 and 2025 through PFR’s spreadsheet only including games he played the majority (80%) of snaps.

Projected out 17 games he still didn’t catch Doubs, he was much closer through.

The fact Doubs will play with a great QB like Drake for the first time blows your take out of the water. Barring injury Doubs will post the best and deepest downfield stats of his career, even playing one of the toughest schedules in the NFL.

the numbers you posted included games he barely okayed or was injured. As you just admitted they are pretty identical if you take that finger off the scale.

Boutte already showed what he can do downfield. Now you want Doubs to change his game?

 

[Ring 6]

He was concussed, it wasn't an injury that slowed him down or kept him from catching the ball. By the time he came back, other players had become more familiar with Drake, and more importantly, we started playing playoff games in winter conditions.

He missed multiple games with the injury and clearly wasn’t back to himself.

 

[Wozzy]

Boutte wasn't injured in 2024

I never said he was.

So you lied about me “lying.”

Boutte did not play with the better QB in 2024 (or 2023)

Drake played in 2024 and 2025.

Both bold faced lies by you

You’re full of it and have lied twice in the past 15 minutes. I never said Boutte was injured in 2024 and Love never made a Pro Bowl. Two bold faced lies by you.

I never lie.

 

[moosekill]

He missed multiple games with the injury and clearly wasn’t back to himself.

Clearly wasn't himself because his numbers were lower and it doesn't support your narrative?
At least try to not be dumb, he played in a snowstorm and in below zero temperatures, and in the superbowl the ol couldn't stop anyone. The team played against what 4 top 10 defenses? He had a concussion, was held out until it cleared up and then started playing in cold weather against top defenses, it isn't a knock on Boutte, but it doesn't support your argument. He was healthy when he came back, he didn't make as many catches as he did playing creampuffs in warm weather conditions.

 

[Wozzy]

the numbers you posted included games he barely okayed or was injured. As you just admitted they are pretty identical if you take that finger off the scale.

I just said I ran the same model with only
games he played 80% of the snaps. So you just keep repeating the lie.

And finger on the scale… you’re telling us to use our imagination with Boutte.

Laughable…

Boutte already showed what he can do downfield. Now you want Doubs to change his game?

500 yards… they can do better for cheaper.

 

[Wozzy]

Clearly wasn't himself because his numbers were lower and it doesn't support your narrative?

Exactly…

 

[jdlboot14]

I hope the team brass is wise about this - - It is foolish to trade Boutte right now. Period.
There is no reason to jettison away one of the 3 best WR's (maybe #1 re: chemistry with your star QB) when:
1. Doubs has not shown 1/2 the amount of connection with QB, nor comfort within this new system.
2. KW hasn't proven to be a well-rounded WR option yet
3. Injury will almost certainly hit the WR corp at some point

IF the room is fully healthy, and IF Doubs & KW are progressing, then maybe consider it in Oct for the trade deadline to max his value for a desperate team. But that's it.
Sure, you won't pay him FA dollars after this season, but he could either help you get to (and win) the playoffs - OR, you need to get a max return for him after ~4-6 weeks, to fill a weak spot on the team.