Patriots Could Move On From WR Kyle Williams?

While acknowledging it would be a shock to see New England part ways with Williams just one year after using a third-round pick on him – indeed, a different Patriots beat recently called Williams a “near-lock” for a roster spot – Graff says the UNLV and Washington State product has not made much of an impact on the second-team offense, where he takes the bulk of his practice reps. Graff goes on to say that the preseason slate could be especially important for Williams, who may need to win the kick returner gig in order to stay in Foxborough or at least be on the active roster on game days.

Williams, 23, earned a modest 31% offensive snap share as a rookie in 2025. The speedster tallied just 10 catches on 21 targets, finding paydirt three times. He also averaged 26.4 yards per kick return across 11 opportunities.

ESPN’s Mike Reiss confirms Williams is penciled in as the top kick returner and also made note of a particularly good play the second-year wideout made in practice on Thursday. Reiss does not suggest Williams’ place on the roster is in jeopardy, though he did reiterate that Boutte’s contract situation could put him on the trade block.

As has been noted on multiple occasions, Boutte is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and given the Patriots’ other WR investments, it presently seems unlikely they will retain Boutte in 2027 (DeMario Douglas is also eligible for free agency next year, but he is New England’s top slot man, whereas Boutte is blocked by fellow outside receivers like Brown and marquee free agent addition Romeo Doubs). Even though the Pats would like to “do right by” Boutte by moving him to a team that could offer him a larger role, Reiss believes New England would be unwise to deal him for something less than a notable return.

It is unclear how Reiss defines “notable,” but it seems other teams have not yet been willing to part with so much as a Day 3 selection in exchange for Boutte. Per Reiss, the 24-year-old was a standout in the first three days of camp before quieting down in subsequent sessions, largely due to a lack of reps.