Patriots legend not fan of Kayshon Boutte's handling of contract issue
· Yahoo Sports
Former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman understands what it's like to be in Kayshon Boutte's situation, but he disagrees with the way that the former sixth-round draft pick is handling his contract issue.
Boutte, who is currently in the final year of his rookie deal, worked out away from the team during OTAs. He did return for mandatory minicamp, but after being a full participant in the first practice, he sat out during the competitive 11-on-11 periods in the third and final practice.
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The Patriots have upgraded at the wide receiver position by trading for three-time All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown in the offseason. They also signed veteran playmaker Romeo Doubs in free agency. There's a clear logjam at the position with limited reps to go around.
However, Edelman believes that the additions could yield more opportunities for Boutte to make plays.
"I don't know if Boutte is handling this correctly," Edelman said on Games with Names. "...I don't know what the communication is, but if this is on him sitting out, that's probably like the last thing you want to do. ...So like, what leverage does he have? Is his leverage that he has 36 catches and he wants to get traded? I've been in that situation where you bring someone in and you get your feelings hurt, but this is the National Football League.
"There's going to be new players every year. I think you probably want to be out there to see where you're going to create your role. ...I would have handled it a little differently. He's a great [player]. And the thing is, he's going to benefit from this. Like, A.J. Brown is going to take all of the coverage, and then you're going to get real one-on-one coverage, down the field Boutte throws all of the time. He's going to have more opportunities."
Boutte being on the roster makes the Patriots a better football team. He served as Drake Maye's best deep threat option in 2025, racking up 33 catches for 551 yards and six touchdowns.
The Patriots would have one of the deepest wide receiving rooms in the league if Boutte is still on the roster at the start of the season. It could ultimately come down to how far he wants to push it and if the Patriots get a worthwhile trade offer for his services.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots legend not fan of Kayshon Boutte's handling of contract issue