Bill Belichick Again Hints At Kayshon Boutte Playing For Patriots

Is this the week that Kayshon Boutte finally gets back into game action for the Patriots?

The rookie wideout hasn't been active since the season opener despite New England dealing with multiple injuries in its receiving corps. Last week, Bill Belichick praised Boutte's practice work while indicating he could suit up against the Washington Commanders. Boutte basically said he would play, too.

But the LSU product again was a healthy scratch, with Belichick later claiming tight end Mike Gesicki served as the No. 5 receiver. Maybe there's more to the story, maybe there isn't.

Regardless, Belichick sang a similar tune in Frankfurt, Germany, on Friday when asked whether Boutte could play Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.

"We'll see how all that goes," Belichick said during a news conference. "Kayshon's had a good couple weeks here. It's definitely trending in the right direction. That's been good."

The Patriots on Sunday will be without DeVante Parker, who'll miss his second consecutive game due to a concussion. And after being benched last week, it's possible second-year receiver Tyquan Thornton will be a healthy scratch for the second time this season. Of course, Kendrick Bourne is out for the rest of the campaign due to a torn ACL. And Jalen Reagor is Jalen Reagor.

So, the only receivers who look like sure bets to play against the Colts are JuJu Smith-Schuster and Demario Douglas, assuming the rookie's ankle injury doesn't force him to sit out.

Could that result in Boutte being active on game day? We'll just have to wait and see, but it's worth noting he saw starter reps during the media-access portion of Friday's practice in Germany.

New England and Indianapolis will kick off at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday.