Josh McDaniels breaks down Kayshon Boutte’s breakout season
The Patriots offensive coordinator broke down Boutte’s breakout season, and what’s made him such an effective big-play target for Drake Maye.
Kayshon Boutte has been as dependable as any big-play wide receiver in the NFL so far this season. Drake Maye's dominant season certainly has a lot to do with that, but Boutte has also shown high-end hands and separation in his own right, most recently on a dagger of a TD against the Cleveland Browns.
During his Thursday press conference, Patriots offensive Josh McDaniels was asked about the emergence of Boutte's emergence as a deep ball threat, and broke down what the third-year wideout can do that makes him dangerous down the field.
“There's a number of things," McDaniels said. "He runs hard on every play. When you watch a guy in practice run like that and then accelerate down the field…I think his long speed has shown up over and over since the spring. The ability to eventually get past the defense or to at least get even with them and have an opportunity to make a play down the field.”
Boutte has been putting up serious stats for the Patriots this season, as Maye has repeatedly thrown his way when looking for a deep strike. He currently ranks second in the NFL in yards per reception with 18.7 (the Colts' Alec Pierce leads the league at 21.4), and his nine catches of 20 or more yards trail only Jaxon Smith-Njigba, George Pickens, Emeka Ogbuka, and Rome Odunze. In fact, seven of his eight career touchdown catches so far are for at least 20 yards.
The 2023 sixth-round draft pick has been a consistently reliable big-play threat for Maye, who himself has excelled throwing deep. Their offensive coordinator has taken notice.
“Everybody just assumes all receivers can track the ball the same,” said McDaniels, “Some of them can, some of them do it a little bit better than others, but [Boutte] certainly has had an opportunity to make some catches where the ball's going a different direction, different angle…and to run full speed with a defender near you, look back for the ball, have to adjust to it, and then have strong enough hands to complete the play…I think that speaks to why he's been so successful.”
Boutte has caught a touchdown in three straight games, and has scored four total in that span. He and Maye will look to keep their connection rolling on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.
