Guregian: Boutte Requested a Trade Back in April

[Wozzy]

Sanu brought back a 2.

The two situations are very different. Brady was pouting about weapons despite the team being undefeated. They were also a Super Bowl contender midway through the season.

It was a horrible overpay, especially since they had Jakobi Meyers developing into a good receiver.

Not saying that will happen, but the longer you wait the more Boutte will bring.

They need to get down to 53 on the roster without exposing too many assets to poaching. The Pats were in the Super Bowl last year and just looked really good against the Colts and Eagles in joint practices. They’re not going to sneak up on anyone or slide players to the practice squad without other teams noticing.

I don't see what's the big deal leaving him on the roster instead of one of the JAG RB's or TE's, while waiting to win a trade instead of giving Boutte away.

They have too many good WR’s and you need to be ready for week one. You also have to do right by the player. Send him to a decent situation so he can maximize his earning potential, that’s not happening here.

 

[Family]

The two situations are very different. Brady was pouting about weapons despite the team being undefeated. They were also a Super Bowl contender midway through the season.

Agreed. It won't be that type of ripoff, but teams get desperate.

They need to get down to 53 on the roster without exposing too many assets to poaching. The Pats were in the Super Bowl last year and just looked really good against the Colts and Eagles in joint practices. They’re not going to sneak up on anyone or slide players to the practice squad without other teams noticing.

I'm not concerned if they lose any of the 3rd TE's, RB's (even Jam though I understand the argument), or the 3rd QB.

If they knock off one and certainly two of those spots, they easily fit in 7 WR's, and keep the rest of the positions with normal backups.

It's the first few weeks. They will have at least 1-2 development players sitting anyway.

 

[Family]

BTW Kyle Williams was one of only two players returning kickoffs at the joint practice.

Dress 6 WR's, 2 RB's plus Gilliam, and 2 TE's (swing Hollins and an OL as the third?)???

 

[Wozzy]

Agreed. It won't be that type of ripoff, but teams get desperate.



I'm not concerned if they lose any of the 3rd TE's, RB's (even Jam though I understand the argument), or the 3rd QB.

If they knock off one and certainly two of those spots, they easily fit in 7 WR's, and keep the rest of the positions with normal backups.

It's the first few weeks. They will have at least 1-2 development players sitting anyway.

They shouldn’t lose anyone they value. The team has to make the tough but pragmatic decision, even if it means taking less in return then they think he’s worth.

The team that trades for him still has to pay him, people need to understand this concept.

 

[Bill Lee]

Not many are willing to consider we can't pay Boutte his next contract if we have Brown and Doubs and then extend Gonzo and Drake. He will walk after this year and I doubt he will bring a comp pick. When the offers peak, we have to take what we can get for him.

We want our cake and eat it too.

People are excited because he's a home-grown talent and we've been bad at developing WRs for so long. Of course we want to keep him.

Yet as you point out, it's clear he doesn't have a long term role here. The team looked at the WR situation and grabbed both Doubs and Brown this off-season and didn't offer a market-rate WR1 or WR2 extension to Boutte. This pretty much telegraphs how the front office values him, despite what the fan base thinks.

So, we argue back and forth about if he's worth keeping around for injury insurance vs getting something for him. No one knows what injuries may arise, and no one knows what the other teams are offering for him. We do know we only have 53 slots on the roster. All the other teams know that too so almost certainly aren't going to offer a thing for him till after cut-down day.

 

[Family]

They shouldn’t lose anyone they value. The team has to make the tough but pragmatic decision, even if it means taking less in return then they think he’s worth.

The players available at 3rd TE or RB depth (maybe Jam is ok), or 3rd QB do not have enough value IMO, to not just wait.

The team that trades for him still has to pay him, people need to understand this concept.

I don't understand why you continue obsessing about this. This was more true before camp and injuries.

As time progresses and injuries mount, teams start focusing on saving their season. In the right circumstances, overpaying for a player like Boutte and seeing how he works out on the new team becomes a better option than before.

The future becomes more of a now thing.

 

[Since1960]

The reason Doubs got paid and Boutte is still waiting for the “big bucks” boils down to one word *contribution*…

In the past 3 years Doubs has 155 receptions and 18 TD’s vs. Boutte who has 78 receptions and 9 TD’s. So Doubs had literally contributed twice the number of receptions/TD’s as Boutte over the same period.

If the rumors are correct then any team in the league could have handed over a 5th round pick for our former 6th rounder and the soap opera would have been over. Unfortunately no team was willing to pony up so here we are.

As Eddie Murphy once said, “bidness is bidness” and since the NFL is most definitely a “bidness”, other teams won’t give up value for Boutte, and the Pats won’t give him away. So either he gets traded when some team loses a WR or he remains with the Pats because he is one of their best 6 receivers.

Either way, if/when Boutte gets his opportunity, if he wants to “get paid”, he’d best take care of “bidness”…..