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
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.