6 Patriots on the Roster Bubble Heading Into Preseason Finale

6. Kayshon Boutte, wide receiver

When you look at the New England Patriots wide receiver room, there was only minimal clarity gained by letting go of JuJu Smith-Schuster.

The Patriots still have a plethora of interesting roster decisions ahead to open the 2024 season, although veteran Kendrick Bourne starting off the year on the PUP "helps" when it comes to keeping the most receivers possible.

The Patriots know they're keeping a handful of guys at this position. Second-round pick Ja'Lynn Polk looks like he's going to eventually be the featured player in the offense, potentially, and fourth-round rookie Javon Baker is already looking like a steal. The Patriots landed another steal in the 2023 NFL Draft when they took DeMario Douglas in the sixth round.

There are a few question marks remaining behind veteran KJ Osborn and former first-round pick Jalen Reagor, who are both likely to be factors in the offense and on special teams this year. Former second-round pick Tyquan Thornton and former sixth-round pick Kayshon Boutte could be battling it out for one roster spot, and Boutte was getting showcased a bit against the Eagles.

Boutte finished the game against Philadelphia playing 30 snaps, more than any other receiver. Typically when a player is playing that much in a preseason game, you're either not sure on your evaluation, or you're potentially showcasing him for other teams. That's not always the case, but it's something to monitor.

Because Tyquan Thornton was a second-round pick and because Boutte's projection is a little bit tougher, I think we see Thornton make the initial 53-man roster with Boutte either leaving via waivers or possibly returning to the practice squad.

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