New England Patriots
“I always knew Drake was that guy.”
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Kayshon Boutte didn’t mince words on Tuesday when asked for the catalyst behind his breakout season.
“Drake Maye,” he replied.
It’s hard to argue with the numbers.
Maye’s emergence as a legitimate MVP candidate this season has elevated New England’s entire pass-catching corps — with Boutte thriving as his QB’s go-to deep threat.
Despite missing several games due to injury, Boutte still posted 551 receiving yards off just 33 catches — scoring six touchdowns on the year.
His 17 yards per catch was tied for third in the NFL this season.
That connection has also translated to the postseason. While New England’s offense has labored at times over three playoff games (18.0 points per game), Boutte has still moved the ball down the field.
The 23-year-old wideout leads all New England pass-catchers in receiving yards this postseason (147 on eight catches).
His lone touchdown over the last three games was one of the greatest catches in franchise history — snagging a one-handed score against the Texans with All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. in coverage.
Boutte isn’t surprised that he was able to click with Maye as his de-facto deep threat — nor was he shocked that Maye took a major step forward in his first full season as New England’s starting QB.
“I always knew Drake was that guy,” Boutte said. “I always did believe in him, believe in what he could do. When you practice with a guy every day, you see his ability, what he’s able to do, so I’ve always been a Drake Maye believer.”
As the Patriots try to land punches against Seattle’s stout defense on Sunday, Boutte will be counted on to test the Seahawks — especially on contested catches down the field.
“It’s been great throughout the season,” Boutte said of his connection with Maye. “We missed on a couple throws last week, but, I mean, it’s not always going to be perfect.
“That’s part of the game, we’re facing good defenses, different looks for us. I mean, at the end of the day, we’ve still got to figure it out. We’re both still young. We’re both 23 years old. It’s a long road ahead of us.”
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