Sure, hindsight is 20/20, but the New England Patriots clearly could have used Kayshon Boutte on the field in Wednesday's 13-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
The team's blockbuster offseason acquisition, three-time All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown, suffered an ankle injury in the third quarter that knocked him out of the game. That immediately vaulted wideout Romeo Doubs, another key offseason addition, to the No. 1 spot at receiver.
And he failed to haul in a single catch.
One of the failed completions was a dropped wide-open pass from quarterback Drake Maye that would have moved the chains for a much-needed first down. Doubs is clearly better than what he showed against the Seahawks, but it's hard not to consider the offense having a significantly
better chance if Boutte stepped in for the injured Brown.
The chemistry between Doubs and Maye remains a work in progress, but it was already there with Boutte, who the team traded away for a late 2028 draft pick and safety Jaylen Reed.
So, was it worth it?
There have been plenty of people sounding off on social media that it might not have been after the team's ugly Week 1 loss.
Kayshon Boutte right now pic.twitter.com/61Ny14No68
— Unbiased Red Sox Fan (@unbiasedsoxfan) September 10, 2026
AJ Brown hurt. Romeo Doubs can’t catch a cold. Least they got a back up safety for Kayshon Boutte.
— Rich Keefe (@Keefe21) September 10, 2026
Gotta be a month of WR1 doubs….kayshon boutte finna have 2 TDs this week isn’t he https://t.co/cG1g32wQbN
— Kavan (@KavanSingh72) September 10, 2026
The Patriots moved their other vertical downfield threat with Kayshon Boutte a few weeks ago.
— Jacob Barzilla (@JacobBarzilla) September 10, 2026
I was already surprised they would move Boutte to a team like Houston and if they miss A.J. Brown for some time…
Kayshon Boutte probably wouldn’t be inactive for the Patriots now I reckon. https://t.co/i3zlG3EtBw
— James Roy (@JamesRoyNFL) September 10, 2026
If AJ Brown's injury is serious they're gunna really regret trading Boutte. Should have kept him until closer to the trade deadline for this exact reason.
— Mighty Kaos aka Coach Williams 🏈 (@mightykaos41) September 10, 2026
Perhaps they shipped Kayshon Boutte off too soon 😶
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) September 10, 2026
Needless to say, as one of the loudest critics of the Patriots trading away Kayshon Boutte for a 7th round pick, what is happening in tonight's game has made me feel even worse about it.
— Dan Kelley (@DanKelley66) September 10, 2026
You know who the Patriots could sure use right now?
— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) September 10, 2026
Kayshon Boutte.
Why the hell did they trade him?
Weird. It’s almost like keeping the WR (Boutte) who was one of the best in the league on deep targets could have helped them. https://t.co/DRAnd7YN5I
— ThatsGoodSports (@BrandonPerna) September 10, 2026
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots blasted for Kayshon Boutte trade after ugly loss to Seahawks
