Big news on Monday was the Kayshon Boutte trade. I am not happy with the trade! Boutte had a rapport with Drake Maye, and they just threw that away. I don’t like the fact that they traded him to a contending team in the conference, and I don’t believe they got enough for him. If the Patriots want to be a draft-and-develop team, they don’t make this trade. More about the trade in the Comings and Goings section.
Practice Report #21
Practice was in full pads
Absent: S Craig Woodson, P Bryce Baringer, RB Jam Miller, RB Lan Larison, , OT Marcus Bryant, EDGE Xavier Holmes, LB Khalil Jacobs, OL Mekhi Butler, OT Lorenz Metz, OL Ben Brown, DT Cory Durden
WR Kobe Prentice and DB Ken Harris were waived.
NFI/PU Brenden Schooler / Harold Landry
Returned: Christian Gonzalez to full participation in Practice today. Channing Canada (red Non-Contact Jersey)
Injuries: TreVeyon Henderson suffered an ankle/foot injury and was seen on the sideline with trainers. The practice was conducted on the lower field and the turf was quite slick according to multiple players.
Heavy work on Red Zone again today, according to Hunter Henry.
Drake Maye was 11-for-13 in Two-Minute Offense
Greg Van Roten did not take part in any of the team periods in joint practices with the Eagles. On Monday, the Patriots upped Van Roten’s workload as he mixed in at both guard spots and center with the first-team offense. He impressed in 1-on-1s and also saw plays at center with Tommy DeVito’s unit, where he had one low snap. – Brian Hines
Van Roten was 2-2 in his one-on-one blocking reps. – Evan Lazar
Quintayvious Hutchins was notably in the backfield on two occasions with the second-team defense. Hutchins then was on the first-team defense side during scout team work. – Brian Hines
Leftovers from the Pre-Season Game
Gabe Jacas had a late hit on the QB that took away a Kindle Vildor INT. He also got sucked in on a play action. He eventually came back and put pressure on Dalton and forced him to throw it into the ground. Jacas also rushed upfield and got blocked outside and taken out of the play. The Eagles ran right through the spot he abandoned.
Efton Chism played very well. His route running is superior. On a 1st down throw to Kyle Williams on a comeback route, Chism was wide open across the middle on a delay. Williams was given the 1st down but it was close. I also thought Chism’s downfield blocking was excellent, an underrated part of his game.
Kyle Dixon came back from being out multiple practices with an injury and his contribution can’t be overlooked. He had that big 4th down reception for a 1st down on the final drive. He was targeted twice and caught both balls
Karon Prunty played very well with tight coverage and he has been doing well as a gunner on Punt coverage. He solidified his spot on the roster.
Kraft Sports Production: The broadcast of the game was brutal. No play-by-play announcer, but three former players who constantly talked about the players and not the game itself. On one play, a run by James Hasty, they flashed up a graphic of #39 RB Myle Montgomery. Montgomery had been placed on IR before the Indianapolis preseason game #1. No down and distance and they were late to bring the cameras back to the action. They misidentified down and distance, failed to identify penalties against the Patriots, and failed to identify what was actually happening on the field. Scott Zolak, Devin, and Jason McCourty were just cheerleaders. I don’t care what Steve Burton or Brian Hoyer were eating on the sideline. Who cares that Legal Seafoods was a new sponsor? It was great they fed the announcers with giant Lobster Rolls, but what does that have to do with what was going on the field? That broadcast was an embarrassment.
Comings and Goings
The Patriots traded WR Kayshon Boutte to the Houston Texans for 2nd year Safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 7th Round selection (from NO). I am not happy with this trade. If the Patriots want to be a draft and develop team, trading away a young (25) and accomplished WR with a great downfield rapport with QB Drake Maye is not the way to build a team. Boutte was 3rd in the league on completions of 20+ yards last season. Further they have traded Boutte to a contending conference rival.
Jaylen Reed is a 6’1” 212-pound Safety with 4.49 speed. he played in 50 games for Penn State.
“His versatility has been on full display in defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s system, where he’s thrived both as a traditional safety and in the hybrid Lion position” per NFL Draft Buzz.
Here are NFL Draft Buzz Observations
- Displays exceptional instincts when playing downhill, showing quick diagnosis skills and the ability to navigate through traffic while maintaining proper pursuit angles
- Brings the thunder as a tackler despite average size, consistently wraps up and drives through contact with impressive functional strength in the box
- Versatile chess piece who can legitimately line up at multiple spots – shows enough range for deep safety while bringing the lumber closer to the line
- Natural feel for run fits and gap integrity when playing in the box – rarely gets caught out of position and maintains disciplined edge control
- Accelerates through his tackles with excellent closing burst, showing the ability to break down quickly in space without sacrificing momentum
- Film study shows consistent improvement in reading quarterback eyes and pattern matching – growing comfort in zone coverage concepts
- High football IQ evident in pre-snap communication and alignment adjustments – often gets teammates in proper position
- Special teams demon who brings same intensity to coverage units as defensive snaps – projects as immediate four-phase contributor
Reed had 113 Special Team snaps in the 9 games he played in last season. Reed spent two stints on the IR last year. Last season he had a 59.9 Grade from PFF.
The only way that this trade makes sense is if Craig Woodson is hurt more significantly and getting ga player like Reed could offset that injury. The low value may have been because Boutte was not signed after this season.
Reed is not a Free Safety type and more of an in the box Safety / Big Nickel. He will not be a replacement for Kevin Byard. The good thing about Reed is the Patriots get three years of control on his rookie contract.
Patriots signed P Matt Haack and OL Dan Conerly. The corresponding moves are to release WR Kobe Prentice and DB Kenneth Harris. Neither UDFA was a threat to make the team.
The Patriots will be Haack’s 10th NFL team he has spent time with, including multiple stints with the Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals. The 32-year-old was most recently with the Washington Commanders, spending training camp with them before being waived last Tuesday.
Both players were present in Monday’s practice.
Haack appeared in seven games last season with the Arizona Cardinals, where he averaged a whopping 51.3 yards per punt, good for third-most in the NFL. What will be key for Haack is the holding operation on Field Goals and Extra Points.
This has to be more than just “not feeling good” in order to sign a punter for the game Thursday Night.
Conley, a BC grad, was with the team last year for two stints in Pre-Season as a UDFA.
PFF Grades for Philly Game
OVR PBLK RBLK
Jacob Rizy 53.1 20.9 63.9
James Hudson 54.9 64.0 51.3
Caleb Lomu 56.7 52.4 56.4
Demetrious Crownover 60.5 71.2 58.0
OVR PASS RBLK
Efton Chism 68.0 67.1 60.3
Nick Degenarro 79.1 77.3 62.0
OVR PASS PBLK RUN RBLK
Lan Larison 65.2 74.6 20.8 66.5 60.0
Behren Morton 89.7 88.0 – 60.0 60.0
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Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.
More Patriots News Headlines:
Weighing the Boutte Trade: What the Patriots Gain and Lose
By: Steve BalestrieriAnalyzing the Patriots' trade of Kayshon Boutte to the Texans for safety Jaylen Reed, examining the gains and losses for New England's roster.
MORSE: Patriots Practice Report from Practice #21, Kayshon Boutte Trade Reaction
By: Mark MorseAnalyzing the Patriots' controversial Kayshon Boutte trade, alongside Drake Maye's practice, player injuries, & PFF grades from the Eagles game.
Patriots Finally Trade Boutte, Get a Player, Draft Pick in Deal with Houston
By: Ian LoguePatriots trade Kayshon Boutte to Houston for a 2028 seventh-round pick and safety Jalen Reed, as new additions left no room for the receiver.
Monday Patriots Notebook 8/24: Patriots Sign New Punter, Gonzalez Returns to Practice
By: Ian LoguePatriots sign punter Matt Haack following Bryce Baringer's injury, with Christian Gonzalez back at practice and contract talks continuing.
Vrabel Sheds Light on Morton’s Punting Appearance, Reveals New Punter is Incoming
By: Ian LogueRevealing Bryce Baringer's injury, Mike Vrabel confirms the Patriots are signing a new punter after Behren Morton's emergency appearance.
