Some Patriots rookies, like Christian Gonzalez and Demario Douglas, made the most of their opportunities in Sunday’s season opener at Gillette Stadium.
Other New England first-year players didn’t impress nearly as much against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Unfortunately for Kayshon Boutte, he fell into the latter category. The Patriots showed faith in the LSU product by sending him out for the second-most snaps among wide receivers, but Boutte was a no-show in the box score. None of the 21-year-old’s four targets from Mac Jones resulted in receptions.
A pair of them should have, though. On two occasions in New England’s 25-20 loss, Boutte was unable to get both feet in bounds after securing the football. The second of those missteps was a backbreaker, as the late-game incompletion sealed a Philadelphia victory.
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To no surprise, Boutte caught some heat from Patriots fans on social media after the game.
Boutte acknowledged his fourth-quarter miscue was a major missed opportunity, especially considering the Patriots practice that kind of situation “day in and day out.” Fortunately for the sixth-rounder, it’s a long season, and he should have plenty of chances to make up for his Week 1 errors.
The first opportunity will come Sunday night when New England hosts the division rival Miami Dolphins.
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Featured image via Trevor Ruszkowski/USA TODAY Sports Images
