Guregian: Boutte Requested a Trade Back in April

[Bill Lee]

The team should keep Boutte at least for now, and he should want to stay.

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.

 

[moosekill]

I would look at him like a pretty good wide receiver. Worth a 5th/6th round pick. If he continues to behave and play well this summer, maybe you get a 4th/5th. Is he worth more than that to the patriots that is the question. If they view him as #3 or #4 wr maybe. If they view him as 4/5 maybe not. He has been good not great.

 

[Family]

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

Of course.

But if Boutte can post numbers like last year if he remains (he only played in 14 games), then as a team guy UFA he will get a 2 year deal for decent money.

The league still has to filter through available players. Deebo just signed yesterday, and guys like Diggs are around. His value is at a low now.

A lot can/will happen in the next month. Injuries happen. Teams get desperate. especially at WR.

I'd keep him around. And he should want to stay, and enhance his reputation as a good teammate. His value here might increase more than if he's stuck with a marginal QB, an offense he doesn't know, or the defense is more focused on him as a primary target.