The New England Patriots are one of the hottest teams in the NFL, as they've won six straight games. During the latest win over the Atlanta Falcons, though, the vibes weren't all positive as the Pats lost receiver Kayshon Boutte to a hamstring injury.
While New England has called him day-to-day, Boutte isn't practicing early in the week. With the wideout currently sidelined, the Patriots made an addition to the receiver room. According to NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, New England is signing receiver Brenden Rice, the son of Hall of Fame WR Jerry Rice.
Rice's addition paints a picture that suggests Boutte likely may not be suiting up in this contest, as New England chose to add another depth piece.
Patriots Add Another WR as Kayshon Boutte Deals with Hamstring Injury
Boutte announced on his Discord server that his MRI revealed he had suffered a grade 1 hamstring strain, which is positive compared to what the results could have shown, but that doesn't mean he'll be ready to play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
This signing also doesn't mean that Rice will take the field for New England. He entered the league as a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Chargers. In his last season at USC, Rice had 791 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns, suggesting he could have the potential to make a difference at the professional level.
That hasn't translated to the field in the NFL yet, as he hasn't recorded a catch in the league since turning pro. This addition appears to be more about having an extra body in the receiver room in case Boutte doesn't give it a go.
Thankfully for New England, they still have Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams, Mack Hollins, and Efton Chism III in the receiving room. They'll use this collection of playmakers to fill in the gaps, but there is no doubt that Boutte has been one of the most productive receivers for the Pats this season.
To this point in the 2025 campaign, Boutte has 23 catches for 431 receiving yards and a team-high five receiving touchdowns. The biggest area where he's been making a difference is in the downfield passing game, as he's averaging 18.7 yards per reception.
This addition at WR makes it seem that Boutte won't suit up, but New England can certainly afford that after getting off to a 7-2 start. With this record, they don't need to rush him back into action and can allow him to take the necessary time to recover.
It'll be interesting to see if Rice is on the active roster on gameday, but this move is a signal that Boutte will likely miss Week 10's contest.