New England Patriots

New England Patriots

New England Patriots

Aug 19, 2023; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte runs after catching a pass to score a touchdown in the second quarter at Lambeau Field. Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Over the past few weeks the New England Patriots’ wide receiver room has seen quite a bit of turnover. Between injuries and roster moves, the usage with the group has shifted significantly.

Entering the season, JuJu Smith-Schuster and DeVante Parker appeared to be the team’s clear top two wideouts – especially with both coming off of new contracts in the offseason (Smith-Schuster having signed in free agency, and Parker having signed an extension). Yet Smith-Schuster has now missed two games due to injury after a stark lack in production to start the season, and Parker has seen his snap count decrease three games in a row.


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Taking over those snaps have been Kendrick Bourne, who the team de facto benched for most of last year, and rookie sixth-round pick Demario Douglas, who played a season-high 62 percent of the team’s offensive snaps last week. There’s been some shuffling further down the depth chart as well. Malik Cunningham was initially given a roster spot, which later went to Jalen Reagor. Reagor played nearly half of the team’s offensive snaps as a practice squad elevation last week, and could be in for an increase now that he’s on the active roster.

Noticeably absent from all the roster shuffling is rookie sixth-round pick Kayshon Boutte. After a strong close to the preseason Boutte played 69 percent of the team’s offensive snaps in the season opener without recording a catch. He hasn’t been active for a game since, despite injuries significantly testing the unit’s depth in recent weeks.

On Friday morning, Bill Belichick was asked about Boutte’s lack of usage. In his answer, he pointed to the Patriots’ receiver room as a whole.

“He’s in a very competitive situation. [I] feel like we have a lot of competition at that position,” Belichick replied. “Everybody’s in it. Guys who perform the best play the most. The guys that don’t need to perform better.”

NBC Sports Boston's Patriots Coverage on Twitter: ""Guys who perform the best play the most, the guys that don't need to perform better"Bill Belichick is asked about Kayshon Boutte, who has been inactive since Week 1 pic.twitter.com/9j7Xwc6vKr / Twitter"

"Guys who perform the best play the most, the guys that don't need to perform better"Bill Belichick is asked about Kayshon Boutte, who has been inactive since Week 1 pic.twitter.com/9j7Xwc6vKr

This answer is interesting for two reasons. First, Belichick seems to suggest something than many have pointed to do explain Boutte’s lack of gameday chances – poor performance in practice.

“They’re all competing,” Belichick said, when asked how Boutte has looked behind the scenes in practice. “We have the number of players that, I think are all – again, it’s very competitive.”

The other reason that answer stands out has nothing to do with Boutte, but the players ahead of him on the depth chart. Last week, ‘the guys who perform the best’ did play the most, but will that change as the lesser-performing but higher-paid options get healthy? If what Belichick says here is true, Bourne and Douglas should continue to out-rep Smith-Shuster and Parker moving forward, or at least until the level of performance from one of those players changes.

How has each receiver looked through seven weeks? Here’s a quick roundup.

Note: Players are sorted by current usage rate, entering Week 8.

  • Kendrick Bourne

    LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 15: Kendrick Bourne #84 of the New England Patriots runs after a catch during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium on October 15, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)

    LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 15: Kendrick Bourne #84 of the New England Patriots runs after a catch during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium on October 15, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)

    2023 stats: 7 games, 51 targets, 34 catches, 370 yards, 3 TDs, 14 first downs, 74.51% usage rate

    Bourne leads all Patriots (not just wide receivers) in just about every major statistical category through seven games. In particular his ability after the catch has stood out, and he ranks 22nd in the NFL in yards after the catch. He is and should continue to be the team’s ‘No. 1 receiver’ in terms of gameplan and usage.

  • DeVante Parker

    Sep 17, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots receiver DeVante Parker (1) catches a pass during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

    Sep 17, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots receiver DeVante Parker (1) catches a pass during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

    2023 stats: 6 games, 23 targets, 14 catches, 144 yards, 6 first downs, 67.47% usage rate (80.2% in games played)

    As mentioned above, Parker’s usage has dipped in each of the last two weeks after a drop and half-run route in key moments against the Raiders. There are still spots where the Patriots can make use of his size (6-foot-3, 215) and strength but it may make more sense for the team to dictate his usage situationally, while prioritizing having speeding yards-creators on the field.

  • JuJu Smith-Schuster

    JuJu Smith-Schuster.

    Sep 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (7) tries to get by a tackle from Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay (2) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

    2023 stats: 5 games, 25 targets, 14 catches, 86 yards, 4 first downs, 42.42% usage rate (58% in games played)

    Signed to replace Jakobi Meyers as the team’s sticks-moving slot receiver, Smith-Shuster has failed to live up to preseason predictions. His impact has been minimal he hasn’t shown the same burst or quickness he did in Kansas City. Smith-Schuster has missed the last two games with a concussion but when he does return, it’s hard to project his place in the offense. Right now, he doesn’t really bring any specific skillset to the table that the team can’t get from other receivers on the roster.

  • Demario Douglas

    Oct 22, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas (81) runs with the ball during the first half against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

    Oct 22, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas (81) runs with the ball during the first half against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

    2023 stats: 6 games, 23 targets, 14 catches, 197 yards, 9 first downs, 25.93% usage rate (30% in games played)

    Early on, Douglas looks like a potential sixth-round steal. His combination of route-running ability and natural quickness have made him a chess piece for Bill O’Brien schematically and handful for opposing defenses on gameday. The team seems to be past his Week 2 fumble as he played a season-high in snaps last week. He’s still working through some rookie growing pains in terms of seeing the field, but last week’s role (second-most involved wide receiver behind Bourne) still feels much more appropriate for him than how the team was using him early in the season.

  • Kayson Boutte

    Aug 19, 2023; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshoun Boutte runs past Green Bay Packers safety Anthony Johnson Jr. (36) after catching a pass to score a touchdown in the second quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

    Aug. 19, 2023: New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte runs past Green Bay Packers safety Anthony Johnson Jr. (36) after catching a pass to score a touchdown at Lambeau Field. (Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports)

    2023 stats: 1 game, 4 targets, 12.09 % usage rate (69% in games played)

    Boutte played a featured role in Week 1, but hasn’t seen the field since. Is there a lack of trust after he failed to get a second foot down in bounds on a key play in the opener? Has he struggled too much in practice? Is he hurt? All the above? Whatever the reason, it doesn’t seem like his status will change in the near future, pending injury.

  • Jalen Reagor

    2023 stats: 2 games, 1 catch, 11 yards, 1 first down, 8.57% usage rate (33% in games played)

    While he’s probably not the overall, long-term answer to the Patriots’ wide receiver woes, Reagor has looked good in the two games he’s played when elevated from the practice squad. He brings a speed element teams have to respect, runs routes hard, and has contributed as a blocker. He was the primary beneficiary of Parker’s reduced role last week with a 42 percent usage rate. The team should continue to rotate him situationally with Parker at the X as the third wide receiver until he gives them a reason not to.

  • Ty Montgomery

    Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

    Sep 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Ty Montgomery II (14) runs after making a catch during the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

    2023 stats: 7 games, 9 targets, 4 catches, 23 yards, 2 first downs, 6.59% usage rate

    Although he spent most of the summer working with the running backs before getting hurt, the few times the Patriots have played Montgomery on offense it’s been at wide receiver. That’s mainly come as a gadget player or when the roster is battling injuries. With the inconsistent nature of his playing time, there’s been a few costly or near-costly instances where he hasn’t seemed to be on the same page with Mac Jones. The best path for him to contribute on offense is still probably as a passing-down running back, but wherever he’s lined up on the field he brings speed.

  • Tyquan Thornton

    FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 22: Tyquan Thornton #11 of the New England Patriots carries the ball in the first quarter of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)

    FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 22: Tyquan Thornton #11 of the New England Patriots carries the ball in the first quarter of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)

    2023 stats: 2 games, 3 targets, 2 catches, 8 yards, 6.15% usage rate (23% in games played)

    Despite being the 50th overall pick last spring, Thornton looks like the odd man out of the Patriots’ wide receiver rotation right now. Coming into the season he was supposed to be the player that added a speed element to the group, but as he missed time on IR to start the year that box was checked by Douglas – and now possibly Reagor as well. Last week he played just three offensive snaps – all in the first half. One of those included a designed touch. That kind of limited, gadget role may very well be what’s in store for Thornton for the immediate future.

  • Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at [email protected].

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