New England Patriots
“You watch him, he dominates. Great X-receiver, dominant.”
Kayshon Boutte will be at Patriots minicamp on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
June 8, 2026 | 5:53 PM
3 minutes to read
Kayshon Boutte has heard his name mentioned in several trade rumors throughout this offseason.
But speaking to WBZ’s Dan Roche on Sunday, the 24-year-old wide receiver stressed that he doesn’t want to leave a Patriots organization looking to prove that last year’s unexpected Super Bowl run wasn’t just a flash in the pan.
“I want to be in New England for the rest of my career,” Boutte told Roche. “I’ve enjoyed it out here. Been here three years. Every day I’m here. I call this home. This is my new home. Grew up in Louisiana, stayed there 20 years, but now Boston is my life.
Boutte’s remarks seemingly stand in contrast with recent reports about the 2023 sixth-round pick’s willingness to start anew with another team — especially after the Patriots added both Romeo Doubs and A.J. Brown to their receiver corps this offseason.
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter noted on his podcast last week that Boutte would be willing to play elsewhere in 2026.
“One wide receiver I’m still suspecting that something might happen with is Kayshon Boutte,” Schefter noted. ”He has not been there for the offseason program. He has been interested in a trade. I would think that at some point this summer, we may get action there. Another deal, Kayshon Boutte, going somewhere else. We’ll see how that works out.”
Further fueling speculation about Boutte’s murky future with the Patriots was his absence during New England’s voluntary offseason programs and organized team activities (OTAs) over the last few weeks — although Boutte noted on Saturday that he will be in attendance for the team’s mandatory minicamp from June 9-11 this week.
The promising wideout told Roche that his decision to work out on his own down in Florida over the last few weeks was to avoid any talk over those trade rumors.
“Just a lot of speculation going on. Just trying to figure out everything,” Boutte said. “I try not to buy into whether it’s the trade rumors or anything like that. I’m still working even though I’m away. That’s my focus.”
Boutte developed a strong rapport with Drake Maye last season as the young QB’s go-to option deep down the field — recording 551 yards and six touchdowns off of just 33 catches across 14 games.
But both Doubs and Brown could cut into Boutte’s snaps moving forward, especially if an established All-Pro talent like Brown is utilized in a similar role as Boutte as an “X” receiver on the outside.
But Boutte welcomed the addition of Brown to a Patriots offense that stumbled during the playoffs, culminating in a disastrous showing against the Seahawks in Super Bowl LX.
“That was a good pickup,” Boutte said of Brown. “He’s a great dude. You watch him, he dominates. Great X-receiver, dominant. Whether that’s deep ball, short route, he can catch.
“Slant and take it to the house. Big-bodied, contested catches. We watch those guys. I’m an X-receiver, too. I sit there and watch his tape. Just a guy you see that constantly wins 1-on-1.”
Even if both Brown and Boutte might overlap in terms of their overall skillset, Boutte said that he welcomes the chance to fight for a regular role on a much deeper New England offense in 2026 and beyond.
“There’s always competition. Every year,” Boutte said. “Nothing is going to be given to you. Whether you’re on the outside looking in or on the inside looking in. At the end of the day, every day counts. You’ve got to make it count.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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