The Indianapolis Colts lost their X receiver this offseason. To keep Alec Pierce for the long run, they had no choice but to send Michael Pittman Jr. packing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a salary cap-clearing move.
They signed Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, but they're still lacking a prototypical possession receiver. Fortunately for them, the New England Patriots might have someone available if (after) they trade for A.J. Brown.
According to Patriots insider Tom E. Curran, Kayshon Boutte might want to take his talents to greener pastures. If that's the case, Colts general manager Chris Ballard should get him on the phone right away.
"So, I wouldn't blame him if he's saying, 'You know what? It was fun and everything, but it'd be better for my career if I were to play someplace else,'" Curran said on Arbella Early Edition.
The Indianapolis Colts should do their due diligence on Kayshon Boutte
Boutte has exceeded expectations as a former sixth-round pick. He was mostly quiet as a rookie before slowly becoming one of Drake Maye's favorite targets, and while his receiving totals went down last season with Stefon Diggs on the team, he still had six touchdowns.
The Patriots signed Romeo Doubs and are more than likely to trade for Brown, leaving Boutte as the odd man out. He's entering a contract year, and after securing 71.7 percent of his targets for 1,140 receiving yards -- the second-most on the team in the Drake Maye era -- he's well worth the gamble.
Boutte hasn't been around in voluntary workouts. That doesn't necessarily mean he's looking to force his way out of the team, but given the context, the writing seems to be on the wall. He'll be redundant if (when) Brown arrives in Foxborough.
The Colts already have their star pass catcher in Pierce, with Tyler Warren and Josh Downs as strong complementary pieces. That said, they don't have a guy who can keep the chains in motion and get those tough yards with short gains. They need that blue-collar wideout who's more than willing to get everything out of the mud and fight for every catch.
Even with a new deal, Boutte should be way cheaper than the average big-name wide receiver. You can never have too many weapons, and giving Daniel Jones another reliable pass catcher will be the best way to put him in a position to succeed and show that he's the right guy for the job. If Boutte does become available, the Colts should definitely be interested.
Add us as a preferred source on Google