The 2026 NFL Draft has come and gone with wide receiver Kayshon Boutte remaining on the New England Patriots' roster.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported ahead of the draft that teams in the NFL talked about Boutte as a player who might potentially become available for a trade. And it made sense, given the way the Patriots had been moving all offseason.

They signed former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs in free agency, and they are expected to land three-time All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown on or after June 1 in a would-be trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. Boutte, who already saw his targets decrease last season, could see significantly fewer opportunities heading into the final year of his contract.

With that said, the rumors of a trade being imminent started to heat up when Boutte didn't show up for the start of the Patriots' voluntary offseason program. However, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss, the 23-year-old wide receiver was in Foxborough the week before he posted an image from Miami on Instagram.

"When the Patriots began their voluntary offseason program last week, receiver Kayshon Boutte's absence was noted because he posted his whereabouts on Instagram, which came around the same time as reports he could be traded during the draft (it didn't happen).

But Boutte had actually been in Foxboro the week before, according to a source, so it isn't as if he's stayed away from the area altogether."

According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, the Patriots were reportedly looking for a Day 3 pick for Boutte.

If the report is true, then perhaps the Patriots weren't offered the compensation they hoped for in the draft, or maybe they weren't offered anything at all. It's a tough situation because Boutte staying with the Patriots, especially if Brown comes on board, could effectively hurt his market value in 2027.

Another thought is whether that June 1 date ties into Boutte as well. If something goes amiss with the Brown trade, the Patriots could still roll into the season with Boutte and Doubs. No, it isn't Brown and Doubs, but it also isn't taking a blowtorch to the wide receiver room, either.

Patriots fans would obviously love to see Brown, Doubs and Boutte co-exist together in New England. It would add even more firepower to the offense. But it could be a tough sell for Boutte, who has done everything he's needed to kill the narrative that he's a sixth-round draft pick who underachieved.

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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Latest update on Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte amid trade conversation