FOXBOROUGH – Kayshon Boutte was happy last season.
In 2023, the sixth-round pick barely hung on. The former star recruit at LSU appeared in five games as a rookie and finished with two catches for 19 yards. He entered the last offseason on the roster bubble.
Not only did Boutte make the Patriots 53-man roster but he played more offensive snaps than any wide receiver in New England. After a quiet rookie campaign, Boutte played well, finishing with 43 receptions, 589 yards and three touchdowns.
He said that performance gave him momentum this offseason. After showing that he belonged in the NFL, Boutte knows he needs to show more this offseason amidst a competitive Patriots receiver depth chart.
“Just being on the field, you get more momentum, more confidence. Just getting a feel for how everything goes, that’s just as much motivation as you need for next season,” Boutte said. “Made a couple plays last year, but it’s always the goal to make more plays as the year goes on the next year and the next year.”
This year, the competition at wide receiver is different in New England. Even after having a solid season in 2024, Boutte’s spot isn’t safe.
The Patriots added two veteran receivers, Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins, in free agency. They drafted another, Kyle Wiliams, in the third round. Those three players, if healthy, are considered roster locks.
The Patriots also have last year’s second-round pick Ja’Lynn Polk, veteran Kendrick Bourne, and last year’s leading receiver DeMario Douglas. There’s also last year’s fourth-round pick Javon Baker, John Jiles, and undrafted free agents Efton Chism III, Jeremiah Webb, and DeMeer Blankumsee.
Through the first two weeks of OTAs, Boutte is receiving good reps with Drake Maye, but still searching for his first catch in competitive 11-on-11 drills.
After practice, Boutte said he has a goal of becoming a 1,000-yard receiver. Before that happens, he understands he needs to make the most out of every practice and build off what he did last season.
“Feel like (I made) a couple plays, finished 589 yards, three touchdowns,” Boutte said. “You know, everybody got goals of being 1,000-yard receivers and stuff like that, but it starts with days like this. Just working with the team, getting on the same path as Drake. As long as we’re on the same page, everything will take care of itself.”