Kayshon Boutte

Patriots Mailbag: A.J. Brown's price tag, Kayshon Boutte's future and more originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston We’re in the calm before the mini-storm in New England . The Patriots’ 2026 schedule release is in the rearview mirror. They don’t start organized team activities until May 27. And a trade for Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown can’t happen until June 1. So, before the action heats up later this month, we put out a call for your pressing offseason questions — and got a full Mailbag’s worth of topics to discuss. Let’s dive right in. Editor’s Note: Questions have been lightly edited for clarity. Do we need A.J. Brown at the high cost that’s been mentioned? — @Paul_NEfan Hey, Paul. The good news for everyone is that we’re now just a couple of weeks away from the Eagles finally being willing to trade A.J. Brown. That thing has run its course in Philly. He’s going to be on the move . It seems as though it’s just a matter of time before he makes his way to New England. The price it will cost to get him up here, though, remains to be seen. I simply can’t see it being a straight swap for a first-round pick. Even if it’s a 2028 first-rounder. Those picks have to be the lifeblood of your organization. And if you’re willing to part with one for a player whose health is in question — and who is entering his age-29 season — I think it’s fair to question the methods that allowed you to arrive at that opinion. Something less than a first has always made sense to me. Brown’s apparent unwillingness to return to Philly and a lackluster market for Brown’s services — two potential landing spots dried up when the Bills dealt for DJ Moore and the Rams got out of the running after reportedly getting spooked by Brown’s health — appear to have limited Philadelphia’s leverage here. Let’s see what that ultimately means for a trade between the Eagles and Patriots . Is it a conditional first-rounder that becomes a second-rounder if Brown doesn’t hit certain statistical thresholds? Is it a first-rounder with a pick coming back from Philly alongside Brown in order to mitigate the cost for New England? As much as Brown will help the Patriots in the here and now, sending away a first-rounder — especially since we don’t know where in the first round that pick will reside — feels like too much risk to incur for a team that has to stockpile premium draft picks as it looks toward handing out some massive contracts to its young core. Are A.J. Brown and his $25 million-per-year salary really worth more than keeping a first-rounder and just bringing back Stefon Diggs for another year? Its a steep price for a guy with a degenerative knee condition who is already in decline. — @dimesntreys First, $25 million for a high-end receiver isn’t all that expensive in 2026. There are currently 15 wideouts in the NFL on contracts that pay them $25 million or more. And that doesn’t include Brown himself. That said, though, a straight swap of a first-rounder for Brown would be significant, so I understand the question. I just don’t see Stefon Diggs making his way back. Diggs was described to me by one GM earlier this offseason as a “one-year guy” at this stage of his career, meaning he’s a short-term solution more than he is a foundational piece you would build around for an extended period of time. He was tremendous for the Patriots last season, but they now have a younger (and one could argue more versatile) option to lean on in Doubs, with an upgrade in Brown likely on his way. As long as the cost isn’t astronomical for Brown, it’s worth seeing if the combination of Brown and Doubs can get more out of Maye than Diggs and Doubs would. Why do people assume that a 2028 first-round pick is better/cheaper than a 2027 first-rounder? — @TheMaD79 That’s just how the league values future picks because there’s some uncertainty involved in where the future pick will end up and what will be available to teams via the draft. Therefore, future picks typically [... truncated ...]

Kayshon Boutte

WR · NE

Romeo Doubs

WR · NE

+1 players

general

Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte isn't participating in offseason workouts

Pro Football TalkMay 18, 2026, 4:37 AM+3 stories · 30dSource ↗

Kayshon Boutte Romeo Doubs A.J. Brown

With voluntary offseason workouts in full swing, one key member of the Patriots’ offense hasn’t been volunteering to show up. As noted by Mike Reiss of ESPN, Boutte has been working out on his own . Yes, it’s not mandatory (except for the annual mandatory minicamp). But it makes sense to be there; if a player suffers a serious injury while working out on his own, the team has the prerogative to deem it a non-football injury and not pay him. It’s unclear why Boutte isn’t there. The sixth-round pick in the 2023 draft is currently eligible for a new contract, and he’s entering the final year of his rookie deal at a base salary of $3.674 million. He’s possibly withholding services while he angles for a financial reward. Boutte has had his moments, even if he’s never had more than 589 receiving yards in any of his three NFL seasons. He had three catches for 75 yards and a touchdown during the divisional-round win over the Texans in January. The arrival of Romeo Doubs via free agency will complicate Boutte’s attempt to have the kind of fourth season that will set him up for a solid free-agency deal. The expected trade for A.J. Brown will only make things more difficult for Boutte. Whatever the reason(s), Boutte isn’t there for voluntary workouts. Whether he’ll be there beyond the 2026 season remains to be seen; it’s entirely possible that, once Brown arrives (if a trade with the Eagles happens after June 1), the Patriots will make Boutte available to any other interested team

Kayshon Boutte

WR · NE

Romeo Doubs

WR · NE

+1 players

general