Patriots

“This has probably been his best week.”

Kayshon Boutte hasn’t gotten a chance to play this season for the New England Patriots since Week 1. The sixth-round rookie receiver didn’t record a reception on four targets in the Patriots’ Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, and hasn’t played since.

But following injuries to Kendrick Bourne and DeVante Parker last week, Boutte could be getting more opportunities. Boutte’s taking advantage of those extra opportunities, according to his head coach.

“This has probably been his best week,” Bill Belichick told reporters on Friday.

Belichick said that Boutte is finishing up his best week in practice so far this season, and that Boutte has been capitalizing on a variety of opportunities that have been given to him and the rest of the team.

“Performance, consistency, assignments, production — practice is practice, but there are opportunities out there for everybody,” Belichick said. “You either take advantage of them or don’t take advantage of them.”

Boutte took advantage of these opportunities with every intent to do so. His coaches have been calling on each Patriot to improve and rise to the occasion, and Boutte has been working as hard as he can in practice to prove to them that he can do so.

“[Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien] kind of preached to us about us having to step up,” Boutte told reporters Thursday. “You know, being out since the first week, coming in with huge expectations, [I] just approach this week harder than ever.”

Boutte’s first NFL season has been very different from any other year of his football career. He came to LSU as a five-star recruit and served a vital role in their offense. And now that he’s struggling to see playing time while wearing the same jersey as several elite talents at his position, he’s working hard to earn his keep. 

“It’s been difficult, you know, coming from college playing every game to the NFL and playing Week 1,” Boutte said. “Unfortunately things happened the way they did, but it’s part of the game, and it’s just a learning experience. It’s been seven weeks, now my name’s being called. So, [I] just gotta step up.”

Whether or not this means that Boutte will play in Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders remains to be seen. But his hard work in practice and injuries to their receiving corps could signal some new opportunities for the rookie who’s apparently taken advantage of the many he’s been given this week.