Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Decisions: Would Patriots-Kayshon Boutte Split Add Up? | Roster Moves Made

Starting point is 00:00:00 Kayshan Bouti goes from extension talk early in the 2025 season to trade talk a month before the 2026 NFL draft. This is Lockdown Patriots. You are Locked on Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast, part of the Locked on Podcasts Network, your team every day. What's happening? I am your host, Nick Cattels, on today's episode, the Pats Cut Joshua Dobbs, shaking up the quarterback room for 2020. In the second segment, the team's latest signing helps address the depth at offensive tackle. But first, placing Kishan Booty on the trade block is an option that we need to discuss. You go back to October of 2025, maybe even early November of 2025.

Starting point is 00:00:55 And at that time, there were a number of people, including myself, talking about the idea of signing Kishon Booty to a contract extension. Kishan Booty got off to a very good start early last season. Then kind of faded. More on that later. But now you look at it. Last year of his contract that he's walking into and now March of 2026, very much different. Not talking about extending Booty.

Starting point is 00:01:24 Instead talking about possibly putting him on the trade block. I would not be surprised if Booty is trade. And I don't think it's a bad idea if you trade booty depending on what you get back in return, depending on what the philosophy is of dealing a younger receiver. For example, booty could be part of an A.J. Brown trade. I'm not going to get too much into that because we've discussed A.J. Brown an awful lot. But you could easily see booty going to Philly as part of a trade that brings Brown to New England. So why is Booty an option to get traded before this draft or maybe even during draft weekend or if it is part of a Brown deal after the draft sometime in June?

Starting point is 00:02:14 Well, let's start with the finances. Are you going to pay Booty $12 to $15 million a year? Now I know the cap goes up and that means the percentage of the contracts that, you know, cost the team X amount for each position goes down. But 12 to 15 million a year, are you willing to put that kind of money into a booty contract? And if you think I'm crazy, look at Jalen Naylor who just signed. Look at these other contracts that are happening. 12, 13 million a year is not quote unquote crazy money for somebody who's a two slash three receiver going out onto the market.

Starting point is 00:02:54 Are you going to pay booty $12 to $15 million a year when you are already paying Romeo Dobbs now about 17 million a year. And if it is going to be part of a Philly trade, then you also have to think about who else is on this team. If you had Dobbs, Brown, and Booty all signed up heading into, let's say, 2027. Booty gets his 12 to 15 million a year. A.J. Brown has his deal. Romeo Dobbs has his deal. You're talking about around $65 million a year. for those three receivers. Now, some would say, well, that would be worth it. But having Booty as your third or fourth receiver,

Starting point is 00:03:40 isn't worth paying that guy, 12 to 15 million, on an average annual value? When you have Kyle Williams, who you just drafted in 2025, and that brings me to my next point. Booty could be traded this offseason for Kyle Williams' development. you could look at Kyle Williams and say, yes, he needs to earn more reps. You're not given the keys, but you have Mack Hollins. So if you are looking at this, and let's say with a hypothetical that you're going to bring in A.J. Brown,

Starting point is 00:04:13 or you're even going to draft a young receiver who you think has a higher ceiling than a C. Sean Booty. Then you're looking at Romeo Dobbs, drafted receiver slash A.J. Brown, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams. That's four receivers right there. And even if you take Kyle Williams out of that equation and you say that Williams doesn't develop like you hoped that he would, you still have three receivers ahead of booty on the debt chart. So you have to look at this numbers game. And you've got to say to yourself, you know, yeah,

Starting point is 00:04:49 we want Kyle Williams to earn the right to be the third receiver on this team eventually. But yeah, it is also easier. to get him to that point, allowing him to grow and develop if he's getting, you know, the opportunities of a three or a four versus a four or a five. Those extra reps at practice, the extra time in the preseason, maybe getting some looks at joint practices. And you need to build the chemistry between Drake May and Kyle Williams. if you want to see if Williams can hit his potential,

Starting point is 00:05:29 if he can fulfill that potential, that you saw him, you know, to draft him in the third round, to invest that type of pick, if you saw, if you saw that ceiling and thought he has potential to be much, much better than what we saw in his rookie season, and we feel like he can fulfill that potential. What would help him is getting a few more reps with the starting quarterback

Starting point is 00:05:51 to gain the trust and build the chemistry. So if it comes down to it and you have an option to trade booty, it's absolutely on the table. If you could give up booty instead of trading a pick for A.J. Brown. And I'm not saying booty for Brown straight up. Don't get it twisted. If you have to deal, let's say, a first round pick and a fourth round pick for A.J. Brown. Well, if Philly would be willing to take a first round pick, let's say a fifth round pick, and Kishan Booty. Would you make that deal instead of trading the pick, that extra pick?

Starting point is 00:06:31 So it could save you a pick in any kind of trade. And if it's not Brown, maybe we just throw an aim out there like Chris Alabe. What if Chris Alabe becomes available? Be kind of cool to send Booty back to his home in Louisiana. Give him a shot with the New Orleans Saints, young quarterback, building that team out. So it helps you save or keep a pick. from having to be included in a deal. It would also give you the option to draft somebody at wide receiver.

Starting point is 00:07:05 Maybe you don't want to draft a wide receiver at 31. Maybe you don't even want to draft a receiver in the first two rounds if you're the Patriots. Well, if you draft a receiver in the third or you use one of your two fourths, well, now it becomes a little bit more palatable because you traded booty. and that allowed you to use the pick to draft a young receiver. And maybe you feel like that receiver has a higher ceiling than booty inevitably has. So you reset the clock on the contract and you allow that younger receiver that you drafted to develop underneath the other guys.

Starting point is 00:07:43 So it does make sense. Now, I would be less apt to deal booty just for a pick if it's a fourth or fifth round pick. I don't think you're desperate in this year's draft for a fourth or fifth round pick. You've got two fourths a fifth. You got four sixths. I wouldn't be, you know, clamoring for it. Now, if I knew I was going to eventually trade for a brown or an alave, I would be more open to a deal of just booty to team X for a pick.

Starting point is 00:08:12 If it's an early day three pick, if I'm getting, you know, a fourth round pick, I would absolutely think of doing something like that. because then I can move those picks to move up in the fourth round. If you can get that type of trade done before you get to day three, you could use those picks to move up in the second or third round. But I would have to know. I would have to know that either I'm going to draft a receiver that I think is immediately going to pay dividends, or I know eventually after the draft,

Starting point is 00:08:43 I'm going to trade for a guy who's going to be at top the debt chart. because if you look at last year's production, I don't know what you're going to get from Kishon Booty in 2026. If he stays, we all hope that he contributes and has a really good season. But you go back to his first seven games of 2025. He had 20 catches, 356 yards and four touchdowns. His final seven games, he went from 20 catches to 13. He went from 356 yards to under 200 at 195.

Starting point is 00:09:16 and his touchdowns were cut in half from four touchdowns to two touchdowns. So yes, I'm open to it, especially if you know you're not super comfortable paying him 12 to 15 million a year. And he's going to likely walk into unrestricted free agency next off season. I'd rather get the asset now. But it depends on everything else, the puzzle that you're putting together. But if you ask me, Kukashon Bouti, get traded? Absolutely. Would I be open to it?

Starting point is 00:09:46 Apps are freaking looting. Up next, the Pats continue to address their offensive line this offseason with their latest signing. This is Lockdown Patriots, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, now the number one sports podcast network, your team every day. It's tax time, but for a lot of us, the old way of doing taxes is a lot, trying to book an appointment. That's not the most convenient.

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Starting point is 00:10:43 notifications as you go about your day. Sounds nice, doesn't it? It's the relief of walking in and meeting a real person and walking out, knowing your taxes are being handled right. Head to turbotax.com slash local. Again, that's turbotax.com slash local to find a store near you and book your appointment. Thank you for making us your first listed and for being an everydayer. Speaking of, don't forget to check out the Everydayer Club for ad-free episodes and access to a group chat with other listeners of this show.

Starting point is 00:11:18 tap the link in the show notes to find out more or go to lockdown patriots. dot supercast.com. And of course, if you're watching on YouTube, I say it every episode because we enjoy the help. We enjoy the support. Don't forget to click that thumbs up and give us a like. Don't forget to throw a comment in, in or out on a Kishon booty trade. And don't forget to subscribe the next goal, 10,000 subscribers by draft weekend. We discussed this on yesterday's episode.

Starting point is 00:11:45 The Patriots, they need offensive. tackle death. Offensive tackle was a top three need going into this draft. And I still feel like offensive tackle is a top three need going into the draft in late April, even after the news of the signing that we're going to talk about because the Patriots have gone out and they have signed a veteran tackle to compete at camp. That right there is in the least. In the least, this person should compete at camp for a spot at tackle and provide that depth. Patriots signed swing tackle James Hudson on Monday, 6'5, 313 pounds, 33-inch arms. He was a fourth round pick in 2021 by the Cleveland Browns.

Starting point is 00:12:39 And the thing about James Hudson is he has experience at both tackle spots. So that's why we call them a swing. And this was absolutely a need. You might draft a tackle in April who ends up being your top swing tackle. Marcus Bryant might end up being your top swing tackle. But I thought, and I'm sure many of you thought, the Patriots needed somebody who has NFL experience, has played NFL games at both tackle spots,

Starting point is 00:13:11 to give you a little bit of insurance, a little bit of security. And so Hudson has played both right and left tackle from a write-up by Giants.com's Dan Solomon. Dan wrote Hudson played in 47 regular season games with Cleveland. He made 17 starts, 14 at right tackle over his first three seasons, and three at left tackle in 20, 24. So he has started double-digit games at right tackle. He has started about a handful, a little less of games at last. left tackle, at least heading into last season with the Giants. So James Hudson gives you that versatility.

Starting point is 00:13:52 If you need somebody to play the right or the left, he could do it in a pinch. Hudson turns 27 years old in May. And I don't think this is a coincidence that Hudson played for the Cleveland Browns. Again, he was drafted in 2021. He played for the Browns from 2021 through the 2024 season. I've said this an awful lot on this podcast and for good reason. Connections matter. Relationships matter.

Starting point is 00:14:20 Networking matters. And so when you look at the Browns, you look at that staff back in 2024. Mike Vrable was in Cleveland. Ashton Grant, your quarterback's coach, your current quarterbacks coach was in Cleveland. As a matter of fact, you go back a couple of years, you know, the early couple of years of Hudson's Brown's career, the Patriots knew, assistant offensive line coach, Jonathan DeCoster. He was also in Cleveland with Hudson. So you have three coaches on your current staff, your head coach, your

Starting point is 00:14:55 quarterbacks coach, an assistant O line coach, three coaches that have worked or at least known of James Hudson and coached the same team that Hudson was playing on. And those connections matter. Some people call them touch points. Those touch points matter. You have a lot of experience with Hudson in the room, in the facility. Now, this is a veteran benefit deal, which means it's a one-year deal. So let's have some reasonable expectations.

Starting point is 00:15:30 I'm not telling you that Hudson will even make the roster. It's a one-year deal. He could easily be cut. No big will. But right now, as we're heading towards the 1st of April, being able to go out, get a one-year deal done with a veteran swing tackle who is going to compete at that position and hopefully give you some depth. Not bad at all. I mean, in theory, it makes you less desperate to sign another tackle or less desperate to go into the draft and draft a tackle. Now again, from the Patriots, I'm still drafting a young tackle.

Starting point is 00:16:15 I might even take two swings. Who knows? But when you look at the roster right now, you've got Will Campbell on the left, Morgan Moses on the right. You now have Hudson, who's the backup veteran swing tackle. And for right now, for all intents and purposes, he's replacing Thayer Munford. And you also have Marcus Bryant that you continue to work with. So like right now, you have guys you could put out there that can play.

Starting point is 00:16:43 I still think you're one tackle short, and I do still think they'll address that during the draft, and they should address that. But now maybe you don't feel as desperate to use the 31st pick if somebody falls to you at tackle, if you like whoever fell to you and say, that's best player available. Again, right now you're building your roster out so you don't feel like you have to draft any person. position in any round. So theoretically, signing a veteran swing tackle makes you less desperate to fill that position via the draft. Now, I haven't watched James Hudson film on a whim, but I will tell you, Lance Zerlind's scouting report over at NFL.com, when Hudson came out in 2021, here's what Zerline wrote. Hudson's raw, but athletic with big, strong hands and the potential to get substantially better, that's substantially, better with additional technique and strength

Starting point is 00:17:41 training. I want to mention here that Hudson only played 778 snaps before he was drafted by Cleveland. So very raw. His 2020 tape, Zerline writes, is erratic with highs and lows on any given snap, which again tells you he was raw, played less than 800 snaps of college football. However, Zerline wrote. Teams will be much less interested in his inconsistency and much more interested in the flashes and potential. Hudson's past pro technique and lack of redirect strength are of substantial issues and must be corrected before he is game ready.

Starting point is 00:18:20 His lateral quickness and second level radar will make him a favorite for move-oriented rushing attacks. You think about move-oriented rushing attacks, Elijah Vera Tucker. Kind of that move guy. Jared Wilson, athletic, kind of that move guy. even Morgan Moses moves pretty well for his size and was really good in the run game if you look at ESPN's run block win rate. Will Campbell, very athletic, should be good in a move type run attack. So kind of makes sense here, right?

Starting point is 00:18:51 Zerlein writes that Hudson can get to positioning that most linemen can't. He's still very much in a developmental phase, but a high ceiling will likely push him up the draft board. Hudson and Cleveland was coached by. legendary offensive line coach Bill Callahan from 21 through 23. So for the first three years of his NFL career, he worked with Bill Callahan. Now a personnel executive told Lance Seren line, again back in 2021 before the draft, quote, you take chances on guys like Hudson with great traits at tackle and you hire good line coaches to teach them.

Starting point is 00:19:28 I've always preached that, unquote. The other thing about Hudson is he's got some nasty in him. and the Patriots offensive line wasn't always nasty or intense in 2025. Back to that article on Giants.com from Dan Solomon. Jermaine Illuminaur, former Patriots, said this about Hudson. Quote, he's an intense dude. Sometimes you've got to pull him back in because he'll just dive off the edge of the boat. You say, no, don't do that.

Starting point is 00:19:55 And by the way, last year for the Giants, there was a play, Alex Barth, of CLNS in 985, posted this where literally Hudson wound up and smacked a cowboy's pass rusher in the head for a penalty. And that one possession, that was one of four penalties called on Hudson. In that one possession, Mike Giardy posted that Hudson is the only player since 2000 to be penalized four times on one possession. So yes, sometimes, as Jermaine Illuminaur said, the Giants.com during camp last year, sometimes Hudson will dive off the edge of the boat. And you're going to say, don't do that. But as Illuminaw continued, I mean,

Starting point is 00:20:37 offensive line is a hard position, and you've got to have some edge about you, especially playing tackle. Brian Dayball said, quote, you're always looking for offensive linemen that bring an edge. James Hudson brings that edge. You've got to make sure that he doesn't go too far.

Starting point is 00:20:56 But kind of fits the mold, right? Turns 27 May. has a history somewhat with Mike Vrable and Ashton Grant and now new offensive line coach, assistant offensive line coach, Jonathan DeCoster. And you know, you look at the athleticism

Starting point is 00:21:12 and, you know, the move, run game approach and having a little bit of that edge. Does he work out? I don't know. But you really have nothing to lose. Coming up, the paths decided to make a change in the quarterback room

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Starting point is 00:22:40 merchant and swap firm. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe as you watch us on YouTube. We appreciate you. Ian Rappaport, early in the day on Monday, reported that the Patriots were going to release Joshua Dobbs. The Patriots released Joshua Dobbs later in the day. on Monday. Now, according to Ian Rappaport, the Patriots tried to trade Joshua Dobbs. And apparently no teams were interested, not even a six-round pick, how badly I wanted that fifth

Starting point is 00:23:17 sixth round pick in the 2026 draft for the Patriots. Look, cutting Dobbs makes a lot of sense. Makes a lot of sense. And we kind of wondered this out loud when we found out about Tommy DeVito. And if you forgot about Tommy DeVito and his contract, going back in early March a couple weeks ago, DeVito signed a two-year deal worth $4.4 million up to $7.4 million with certain incentives, which would lead you to believe the only way that DeVito, Tommy Cutlets, is going to make that money through those incentives, is if he has an opportunity to play. And you would only imagine that somebody would sign a contract at that position that opens the door for playtime incentives if they felt like they had a chance to play football. And so it's easier now.

Starting point is 00:24:17 None of us want to see this. But it is obviously easier to get playing time as the legitimate backup quarterback, QB2, than it is to be the QB3 slash emergency guy. So you've got a very affordable backup. quarterback in DeVito. He turns 28 in August, so he has still plenty of gas left in the tank. And we brought this up going back to the time when the Patriots picked up DeVito after he was cut by the Giants. He has experience with the Brian Dayball offense, which I would imagine made it easier to

Starting point is 00:24:57 make the transition from the Giants to the Patriots offense because the dayball offense is similar to the Josh McDaniels offense. And now, of course, Dayball has moved on from the Giants. McDaniels stayed in New England. But DeVito now has experience in a Josh McDaniels offense because he was in New England in 2025. So Tommy DeVito, solid backup,

Starting point is 00:25:21 makes a lot of sense to make him the number two guy and move on from Joshua Dobbs and wish him well in his future endeavors. You know, a big part of this, though, that we have to now think about what will the Patriots do for that third quarterback spot, that emergency quarterback spot? This no doubt now opens the door for the Patriots to draft a quarterback. And I would not be surprised whatsoever. We know Elliot Wolfe, his days, you know, working for his father in Green Bay. the Green Bay Packers philosophy,

Starting point is 00:25:57 and Wolf has talked a lot about this since being in New England, since Bill Belichick left. Wolf is a big believer in the, hey, if you can draft a quarterback every year, you're draft a quarterback every year. What's the worst that can happen? Now, you don't draft a quarterback every year

Starting point is 00:26:15 in like the top three rounds, but if you draft a guy on day three, you draft a guy in the later rounds, you're throwing a dart. But if you hit a bullseye with one, of those darts, now all of a sudden, man, oh man, you look like a genius. And you could benefit big time drafting a young developmental quarterback, developing that quarterback, and then being able to trade that quarterback for some kind of pick of value. So with the Packers background and the

Starting point is 00:26:48 philosophy of if you could draft a quarterback every year, you're drafted quarterback every year. and the fact the Patriots have, as I just mentioned, four sixth round picks makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? Makes a lot of sense that the Patriots might take one of those sixth round picks as a dart and throw it towards the board. And maybe you hit, maybe you don't, but you draft a developmental quarterback,

Starting point is 00:27:14 you bring them into your system. We have heard a lot of great things about Ashton Grant and the reputation that he has in the game, as a young coach. Obviously, Josh McDaniels, tons of experience working with quarterbacks. So now you have McDaniels who's worked with young quarterbacks, Grant, who's worked with young quarterbacks. You've got those two coaches.

Starting point is 00:27:36 So you draft a guy in the fifth or sixth round. I'd say probably the sixth round is more likely. You throw that dart at a quarterback. You let that quarterback work with Drake May, Tommy DeVito, Ashton Grant, Josh McDaniels. And maybe within 12 months, 18 months, 24 months. months. Maybe you've got something. So it makes a lot of sense. It also clears up $3.7 million in cap space according to Mark Daniels of Mass Live and every bit helps. Not only this offseason, but next off season. We're looking at Christian Gonzalez. We're looking at Drake May coming up

Starting point is 00:28:13 soon. And this is also a statement that Drake May no longer needs the sage veteran. He's got this. He's got this. Runner up, MVP. Patriots obviously confident that Drake May doesn't need that sage wise veteran. Because, yeah, you could say it's Tommy DeVito, but I'm talking about a guy who's more than his early to mid-30s and has been around the league and played for a number of teams like a Joshua Dobbs. You don't need that type of backup quarterback now.

Starting point is 00:28:48 And yes, I already saw it on Twitter. You can make the joke. Joshua Dobbs wore number 11 last year. And we all know which wide receiver in Philadelphia happens to wear 11. I'll just leave that there. That wraps up this edition of Lockdown Patriots. Thank you for making us your first listen and for being an everydayer. Reach out to me on Twitter at Nick C Radio.

Starting point is 00:29:11 And don't forget to throw a comment in on the YouTube channel. Hit that like button. Give us thumbs up and subscribe. And if you never miss an episode, the Everydayer Club is built for you. Get Lockdown Patriots, ad free, plus. members-only Discord access and more, head to Lockdown Patriots. dot supercast.com or check the link in the show notes to learn more. Have a great day, and we will see you next time.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Decisions: Would Patriots-Kayshon Boutte Split Add Up? | Roster Moves Made

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