It seems like it’s a matter of when, not if, the New England Patriots trade wide receiver Kayshon Boutte.
Boutte has been the center of trade rumors all offseason long as the Patriots appear to be on the cusp of acquiring wide receiver A.J. Brown in a blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported before the 2026 NFL Draft that Boutte was available, and Breer still believes teams can acquire him for a Day 3 pick.
“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.
Chances are there will be interest in Boutte, who has posted back-to-back 500-yard seasons.
The negative is that Boutte is in the final year of his deal, but at a reasonable price, that won’t be too big of a problem.
If Boutte is indeed available, here’s some teams that could look to acquire his services.
Philadelphia Eagles
If the Eagles and New England Patriots are going to be pulling off a trade involving Brown, the Eagles could have interest in Boutte.
Granted, Philly has added Makai Lemon, Hollywood Brown and Dontayvion Wicks, but Lemon is unproven, Brown has had injury issues during his career, and Wicks only has one 500-yard season under his belt.
It might take a village to replace Brown if he gets traded, and Kayshon Boutte would be a strong resident in that village.
Chicago Bears
With DJ Moore traded to the Buffalo Bills, the Bears are relying on two unproven wideouts in Luther Burden and Rome Odunze to lead the room in 2026.
Chicago’s depth options aren’t great, either, with guys like Kalif Raymond, Scotty Miller, Jahdae Walker and rookie Zavion Thomas competing for significant snaps.
The problem with that group is Walker and Thomas are unestablished and Miller and Raymond haven’t produced much in recent years.
Kayshon Boutte could instantly step into the WR3 role in Chicago.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have a solid No. 1 receiver in Zay Flowers but nothing but question marks behind him.
Rashod Bateman struggled with injury last season and wasn’t very effective when on the field, and there isn’t enough of a track record to trust Devontez Walker and rookies Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt for big roles.
The Ravens need another veteran in that group and Boutte would be just what the doctor ordered for Lamar Jackson and Co.
Kansas City Chiefs
We love the promise Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy have shown, but the latter was a total disappointment amid an injury-plagued campaign last season.
The depth options aren’t great, either.
Tyquan Thornton mostly disappeared after a few big games early in 2025 and the jury is still out on guys like second-year wideout Jalen Royals and rookie Cyrus Allen.
For a team looking for a bounce-back campaign after missing the playoffs last season, the Chiefs need more options for Patrick Mahomes.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders have one of the most lackluster wide receiver rooms in the NFL and that’s bad news for Fernando Mendoza’s chances of succeeding in Year 1.
Las Vegas’ projected top three on the depth chart are Jalen Nailor, Tre Tucker and 2025 draft pick Jack Bech.
Nailor and Tucker have never been more than No. 3 options in a passing attack and Bech is coming off a very disappointing rookie campiagn.
While Boutte wouldn’t be the No. 1 the Raiders desperately need, he would at least add more depth to the room.
New York Giants
If the Giants want Jaxson Dart to take a step forward in 2026 under new head coach John Harbaugh, they should seriously consider adding more help at wide receiver.
The biggest issue is the uncertain status of Malik Nabers, who is a candidate to start the season on the PUP list as he recovers from a torn ACL.
If Nabers does sit out the first four games, the Giants will be relying on Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney, Calvin Austin and rookie Malachi Fields to pick up the slack for almost a quarter of the season.
Nothing about that room is inspiring, so a trade for Boutte should be on the table.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons have a true No. 1 target in Drake London, but the rest of the room leaves a lot to be desired.
After cutting Darnell Mooney, the Falcons are depending on one of Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus and rookie Zachariah Branch to step into the No. 2 role.
The issue there is Zaccheaus and Dotson are No. 3 receivers, at best, and there’s no telling what Branch will provide in his first NFL season.
That’s not exactly an ideal situation for whoever starts at quarterback, whether that be Michael Penix Jr. or Tua Tagovailoa.
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