It wasn't all good news for the New England Patriots, as receiver Kayshon Boutte left the game against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9 due to a hamstring injury.
Head coach Mike Vrabel gave an update on Boutte on Monday, calling him day-to-day. He added that Boutte won't practice early in the week, and that will lead to more opportunities for rookie receiver Kyle Williams.
Vrabel stated that Williams was learning several spots in Josh McDaniels's offense but has finally settled down. And based on Vrabel's comments, the Pats avoided any major injury with Boutte, leaving them to rely on in-house options to replace his production. This makes it unlikely they won't make any additions to the receiver room ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline and will rely on what they have to cover for Boutte's absence.
Patriots Sound Like They Won't Make Any WR Move After Kayshon Boutte Injury
Hamstring injuries are always tricky, and there's a good chance that Boutte will miss time, but it doesn't sound like New England is worried. Through nine games, he has 23 catches for 431 receiving yards. He also has team-highs in yards per reception (18.7) and receiving touchdowns (5), so his presence will certainly be missed.
Nonetheless, New England seems to be ready for the next man up, and Williams could be a guy who sees an uptick in snaps. It's been a slow start for the rookie, as he has two catches (six targets) for 20 receiving yards.
The beginning of a rookie season is typically slower for receivers, as they are learning multiple positions, getting used to the speed of the NFL, and building rapport with their QB. And in Williams' case, the Patriots have several receivers ahead of him on the depth chart. But with more reps available for the taking, Williams could likely play the most single snaps if Boutte can't give it a go.
Williams played in a season-high 31 total snaps against the Falcons, but before that, he never played more than 15 plays. This week of practice will be the most important one of the season for Williams. If he can stand out in these sessions, it'll only give the coaching staff more confidence leading into the game.
Regardless, New England still has Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, and Mack Hollins as other healthy receivers on the team. It'll be a group effort going forward for sure, but the Patriots do not appear to be looking to make additions to the receiver room.
That will be an area fans will pay attention to going forward. Especially as the team has won six straight games.