Boutte available for trade?

[Wozzy]

Somewhere in between.

You don't keep every present player. You don't fire them all. You don't only get them from Alabama. But Ala. is way more likely than Lenoir Rhine. We just like the story about the latter because it's an unlikely provenance.

You hold camp where 90 players are invited and let competition do the job. But if Boutte is making a stink and doesn’t want to compete then let him go.

Also in a vacuum Alabama will create more pro players in a given draft class. That being said there’s close to 800 college programs out there. The talent comes from all corners of the country and even from some other continents.

One place where I'll meet you in the middle is that whenever you get a new staff in, the old staff's decisions are systematically discounted; translation, a pre-Vrabel hire s automatically a little sus, a Vrabel-era hire is "developmental."

Mainly in this case because his contract is ending and the he possibility to get younger, cheaper, better exists.

I understand that the price for Brown, according to the Internet, is a first, plus some other stuff. They better be real sure about Brown. I honestly like adding that piece, but would love to see Philly standing there with their eagle pecker in their hands, you know, the beak... trying to figure out what to do with all that disgruntled receiver. Nobody else wants to pull that trigger.

The price for Brown is unknown. My guess is a 4th and a player, or maybe a third at most. But who knows what the Patriots think.

With Doubs, without Diggs, we're not improved. But what are we with both, while Kyle Williams works into the outside rotation? Asking for a friend.

Diggs will be 33, they might be better with Doubs alone. But add Brown and go with the youth movement elsewhere… we don’t need a geriatric WR corps.

We want to get better everywhere. The question is, is there a cost ceiling on this "getting better"?

This team is built to win now. Drake on his rookie contract is a cheat code. They can afford to spend and should do what’s necessary to field a SB contender.

Once you pay Drake, it gets much harder…

 

[Hawaiipatsfan2]

No pick we’re going to get for Boutee other than a 3rd or better would be worth trading for. However I could see a player swap for a bigger position of need. Like LB.

 

[DC Patriots]

Gotta say folks, when I see a thread where people feel we shouldn’t pay more than a third for Brown and we should get at least a third for Boutte, I come to the conclusion that people only are ok with trading if we are robbing the other team blind

 

[rkarp1]

A lot of times when you aren't targeted in game is because you aren't open. Probably most of the time. The fact he was only targeted 7 times in those three games are most likely a negative for Boutte, not an excuse for his lack of production.

We praise Christian Gonzalez because he takes away the #1 WR so efficiently that the opposing QB doesn't even target that WR. The reverse goes for why Maye isn't targeting one of his starting WRs.

Boutte makes contested catches
Boutte has a large catch radius
Maye throws well into tight windows
Boutte caught 70% of his targets
seems reasonable to target him more often, no?

 

[rkarp1]

Gotta say folks, when I see a thread where people feel we shouldn’t pay more than a third for Brown and we should get at least a third for Boutte, I come to the conclusion that people only are ok with trading if we are robbing the other team blind

seriously
Boutte straight up for Brown
who says no?

 

[Hugepatsfan]

Assuming we get Brown, it makes sense to consider moving him. But I wouldn't do it before camp. Someone could tear an ACL first day. KWilliams could come in not showing year to year 2 improvement. Doubs could struggle to grasp the offense. On paper Boutte is the third WR behind Brown/Doubs which is a high snap count position. If those guys and KWilliams are healthy productive, along with Hollins/Douglas behind them I understand trying to cash out on Boutte ahead of free agency but I wouldn't rush into it.

 

[jimnance]

seriously
Boutte straight up for Brown
who says no?

Philly

 

[Rob0729]

Boutte makes contested catches
Boutte has a large catch radius
Maye throws well into tight windows
Boutte caught 70% of his targets
seems reasonable to target him more often, no?

So is the evaluation that he can't get open? My recollection is that he made some amazing catches in tight coverage, but really wasn't that open. Great hands and kudos to Maye for placing the ball into tight spots.

People misunderstand about contested catches.

First, you have to pick and choose your spots to throw a contested ball. If a receiver is constantly blanketed, you cannot consistently throw to him and expect positive results. You might be able to get away with it maybe 1-3 times a game at most in most cases. Even the best contested catch receiver isn't coming down with the ball more than that in contested catches very often. Contested catches are low percentage plays even for the best 50-50 ball WRs. The more you do it, the less successful you become.

Second, not every time a receiver is covered is a good time to throw a contested catch pass. You have to pick a time where you can throw the ball where you can throw to a spot where your receiver is most likely going to catch the ball or it is incomplete. If the receiver is blanketed in a way where the defender is in a better position to catch the ball, you don't throw it to your receiver. The latter happens more often than the former in tight coverage because usually the defender is trailing the receiver.

 

[Real fan 02]

Let's look at Boutte's stats last year.

70% success rate with 16 YPC. See anyone else remotely like Boutte in the NFL? Only one other player, Pickens. That's it.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2025/receiving.htm#receiving::rec

Up.. while I tend to agree with you. The WR position had been so pathetic the last few seasons that we finally get some production out of the position and it has us as fans wowed. Even with Boutte Diggs and an a solid WR corps last season Vrabel still was looking to upgrade there..

 

[Real fan 02]

Philly

He would likely be the 3rd or 4th WR in the rotation in Philly..

 

[patfanken]

Looking what Philly has done at the WR position this off season has got me thinking that I really don't think they want another one as trade compensation for Brown. They might want an addition player if they take a #2, but maybe not at the WR position. They, like the Pats are expected to run more this season, and everyone seems to be playing 2 TE formations more. You want great WR's out there, but in today's NFL you don't need as many of them. You used to keep 5 WR's back in the day, then in the pass happy days of the 2010's 6 was the standard and sometimes 7. Now like all things in football, we are coming back around again. If there is one thing constant in Football, it is cyclical.

 

[rkarp1]

 

[moosekill]

From the lips of Tom R Petersen to God.

 

[rkarp1]

From the lips of Tom R Petersen to God.

well no...James Palmer

 

[Water Boy]

I'm going to assume the Team has done their homework, have set a value on AJB and will stick to it. I have to assume that there is a deal in principle.

We have a crowded WR room as it stands, so not drafting another WR doesn’t necessarily mean we've put ourselves in the lurch or play games if Howie tries to leverage at the 11th hour.

 

[rkarp1]

I'm going to assume the Team has done their homework, have set a value on AJB and will stick to it. I have to assume that there is a deal in principle.

We have a crowded WR room as it stands, so not drafting another WR doesn’t necessarily mean we've put ourselves in the lurch or play games if Howie tries to leverage at the 11th hour.

according to James Palmer, that is an incorrect assumption
as is June 1

 

[Bill Lee]

according to James Palmer, that is an incorrect assumption
as is June 1

Philly drafted as if they needed to replace AJB.
We drafted as if we have a WR1 coming on board.
Actions speak louder than words.
James Palmer's opinion doesn't mean squat.
He's got airwaves to fill and clicks to get.

 

[Thelonious]

seriously
Boutte straight up for Brown
who says no?

Philly does, I am sure. Seriously.

 

[BTTA]

O

This is discussion is all based upon the assumption that a. AJ is coming here. b. Diggs isn't coming here .

If Brown doesn't come, you keep Boutte. If Brown comes and Diggs comes there is no spot for Boutte and you let him go for a bag of peanuts. If Brown comes and no Diggs then I think either Pop or Boutte is gone. It seems Pop is saying and doing all the right things while Boutte is being portrayed as a malcontent. Additionally, many of the reasons people want to keep Boutte is why he may well be more valuable in a trade scenario than Pop is, so I guess we will have a much clearer idea after we know what is happening with AJ.

What I'm trying to sort out is the assertion that Boutte and Williams are stretch the field guys, and Pop/Diggs/Doubs are short/middle guys. Brown seems to do it all well. Isn't that how the WR room gets built, around the talent/capability mix, rather than around best overall? I'm honestly asking here, not drawn into the arguing.