"Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte, I think, could be had for a fifth- or sixth-round draft pick right now, if anyone has an interest in him," Breer wrote.
That is a strikingly low price for a 24-year-old receiver who caught 33 passes for 551 yards and six touchdowns in 2025, averaged a career-high 16.7 yards per reception with the fifth-highest average target distance in the league, and has posted back-to-back seasons with 500-plus receiving yards.
🚨🚨 #Patriots Kayshon Boutte could be traded for a 5th/6th round draft pick before the season pic.twitter.com/IAHFFmwOsG
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) May 18, 2026
The New England Patriots already signed Romeo Doubs to a four-year, $68 million deal in free agency.
An AJ Brown trade from Philadelphia is widely expected to happen around June 1, which would add one of the best receivers in football to a room that already features Doubs and Mack Hollins.
Boutte is entering the final year of his rookie deal and has not been participating in New England's voluntary offseason workouts, a detail ESPN's Mike Reiss reported Sunday that raised immediate questions about whether he knows what is coming.
Mike Reiss spoke on the situation in an appearance on 985 The Sports Hub, saying a trade would not surprise him given the circumstances.
"I think that would be something that wouldn't surprise me. He played really well for them last year," Reiss said.
The Patriots are simply paying a lot of money for a lot of receivers, and with Drake Maye's development as the organizational priority, a Day 3 pick for a redundant piece is not an unreasonable return in the current market.
The Bears Are the Team Most Frequently Mentioned
Multiple analysts this week identified the Chicago Bears as the most logical trade partner, and the roster construction argument is hard to dismiss.
Chicago traded D.J. Moore to the Bills this offseason, leaving Rome Odunze and Luther Burden as the top two options with Kalif Raymond, Scotty Miller, Jahdae Walker, and Zavion Thomas filling out the depth.
There is a clear opening for an experienced receiver with proven NFL production who can push into the WR3 role immediately.
Patriots insider @tomecurran on Kayshon Boutte.
— Savage (@Savageboston) May 19, 2026
🎥: @NBCSBoston
“I love Kayshon Boutte, he’s been an underrated player, he’s unbelievably efficient, but right now he’s becoming redundant. He has a very high opinion of his ability…there are times when I’ve talked to him and… pic.twitter.com/amb5zD0IcN
Boutte's ability to threaten downfield, and his $3.72 million cap hit for 2026 make him an affordable addition without disrupting Chicago's developmental philosophy they love to stick to.
A fifth or sixth-round pick for a receiver who averaged 16.7 yards per catch last season would be one of the better Day 3 value plays available anywhere in the market right now.
Breer noted that the wide receiver market as a whole may be in a holding pattern while the Brown situation resolves itself in June.
Once that deal closes, expect the Patriots' receiver room to get sorted quickly.
Photo Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
