Patriots' Mike Vrabel Reportedly Open to Trades, Kayshon Boutte A 'Name to Watch'

Looking to remake the New England Patriots' roster to fit his style, head coach Mike Vrabel is keeping an open mind when it comes to making trades.

Per Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz, the Patriots are open to deals involving players brought in by the previous coaching staff, with wide receiver Kayshon Boutte cited as a "name to watch" for.

It's not uncommon for a new coach to come in and clean house, at least to some extent, with the goal of adding players who fit their style and mentality.

This process rarely gets done in a single offseason, but the Patriots can afford to do anything because their overall roster talent is starting at a low point. There aren't a lot of obvious cornerstone players already in place, with the exception of quarterback Drake Maye and cornerback Christian Gonzalez.

Vrabel has already made several significant investments with the goal of improving the Patriots in 2025. They spent big money on defensive tackle Milton Williams (four years, $104 million) and cornerback Carlton Davis III (three years, $54 million), then brought in wide receiver Stefon Diggs (three years, $63.5 million) later in free agency

The Diggs addition did give the Patriots' pass-catching corps a much-needed boost. It could also explain why Boutte, who tied for the team lead with three touchdown catches last season, is available.

New England isn't exactly overflowing with pass-catching talent right now. Even Diggs is a big question mark after tearing his ACL in Week 8 last season with the Houston Texans.

This is a deep draft for pass-catchers. B/R's NFL scouting department has a combined total of 17 wide receivers and tight ends ranked among its top 100 prospects.

It's safe to assume the Patriots will make wide receiver a priority in the draft, though they're expected to use the No. 4 pick on an offensive lineman.

The Patriots have four picks in the top 100, including two in the third round, which they can use to boost their receiving talent around Maye. Vrabel could also be using some of the players currently on the roster as trade bait to add even more mid- and late-round selections to take more swings.