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New England Patriots’ overlooked WR could be a huge sleeper
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New England Patriots’ overlooked WR could be a huge sleeper

THE New England Patriots are absolutely starved for offensive weapons, and no matter how they try at wide receiver, nothing seems to work.

Free agent signing KJ Osborn was a huge disappointment. The recruits Ja’Lynn Polk And Javon Boulanger were non-existent. Kendrick Bourne has been a relative non-factor since returning from his torn ACL earlier this season.

But the Patriots have a very intriguing one: Kayshon Boutte.

New England selected Boutte in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and during his rookie campaign he played in just five games, recording two catches for 19 yards.

The LSU product was essentially an afterthought heading into 2024, but recently he has become a legitimate target for Drake Maye.

Boutte has 13 catches for 203 yards and a score all year, but most of his production has come in the last five games (he has 11 receptions in that span).

Perhaps it’s no coincidence that Boutte’s sudden rise coincided with Jacoby Brissett replacing Maye as the Pats’ starting quarterback.

Maye really seems to trust Boutte, as he has turned to the young pass catcher in many big moments over the past few weeks.

In fact, Maye targeted Boutte 12 times in the Patriots’ last two games.

Boutte, 22, spent three seasons at LSU and wasn’t exactly a top-tier receiver, but he was consistent. In his final year with the Tigers, he caught 48 passes for 538 yards and a few touchdowns.

Boutte actually underperformed at LSU, as many had considered him a top prospect when the Tigers initially recruited him.

So maybe the New Iberia, Louisiana native can finally come out of his shell at the NFL level?

You obviously shouldn’t count the chickens before the eggs hatch, but it’s hard not to like what Boutte has produced in recent weeks.

We’ll see if this continues as the second half of the 2024 campaign progresses.

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