Boutte was the Patriots’ most productive wide receiver down the stretch in 2024.
The New England Patriots offense had a rough 2024 season, but there were a few encouraging individual performances. One of those belonged to wide receiver Kayshon Boutte.
After being a non-factor as a rookie and catching only two passes all year, Boutte managed to develop into one of the team’s most productive players as a sophomore. He entered the starting lineup in Week 5, and from that point on led all Patriots wideouts in snaps (727; 86.1%), receiving yards (576) and touchdowns (3).
Despite the positive momentum he managed to build down the stretch, Boutte knows he cannot afford resting on his laurels. The focus needs to be on the future.
“Just being on the field you get more momentum, more confidence — just getting a feel for how everything goes,” he told reporters after the Patriots’ second open organized team activity on Wednesday. “That’s just as much motivation as you need for next season. Made a couple of plays last year, but it’s always the goal to make more plays as the years go on, next year and next year.”
In order to do so, Boutte will have to adapt once again. For the sixth time in his last six years between college and pros, after all, he is learning a new offense under a new coordinator.
The early signs are promising, at least according to head coach Mike Vrabel.
“I like his attitude. I enjoy his willingness to continue to improve and maybe do some things a little differently,” Vrabel said.
“I think that he’s gotten in better shape as we started to go on to the OTAs, and I think that’s really started to help him as we stack plays together. In the game, you don’t just take a play on and just come off and then go back and forth. Hopefully, you can string together four or five plays as we work down the football field. I think that he’s working to do that.”
Boutte finding a way to stand out will be crucial in what has become a crowded wide receiver room over the last few weeks. After adding the likes of Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins in free agency, selecting Kyle Williams in the third round of the draft, and signing a trio of rookie free agents — Demeer Blankumsee, Efton Chism, Jeremiah Webb — the Patriots have 12 wideouts under contract.
Boutte knows that only a handful of them will eventually end up on the roster.
“We have a lot of guys, 12 of us. At the end of the day, [it will be] probably six of us, if we’re being honest. So, every day is another opportunity to get better, be great,” he said. “We all know we’re in a competition, but it’s up to us at the end of the day.”
How is the 23-year-old planning to elevate himself from the pack? For him, it all starts with improving his chemistry with quarterback Drake Maye after the pair was hit or miss in that regard in 2024.
“Everybody has goals like being 1,000-yard receivers and stuff like that, but it starts with days like this,” he explained. “Just working with the team, getting on the same path as Drake. As long as we’re on the same page, everything else is going to take care of itself.”