Patriots WR knows his future isn’t promised despite regime change in New England

Kayshon Boutte has not had an easy path in the NFL. And he's also had to deal with issues off the field that have taken his focus away from football.

But now, that's all in the past. And he's taking advantage of this new chapter.

"Yeah, I feel like now that that's out the way, the only thing we focus on is ball," Boutte exclusively told A to Z Sports. "So every time I'm out there, just thinking about the opportunities I'm getting."

"It's a fresh start. It's a new everything," the wide receiver added. "So I feel like, just got to make the best of my opportunities."

While he made the active roster after training camp last season, former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was in no rush to play him. Throughout the entire year, he appeared in only five games, getting two receptions on seven targets for 19 yards.

And then this offseason, Boutte was arrested in January after being charged with computer fraud due to bets he made while he played at LSU. He was released from jail after posting a $600,000 bond later that same day.

He was accused of creating an online betting account under a fake name and then proceeded to place illegal bets while he was under the age of 21. During that time, he allegedly earned more than $500,000 in winnings, having placed nearly 9,000 illegal bets. 17 of those bets were said to be on college football games, including six that included LSU.

But the charges were dropped in the middle of July, just before training camp began.

So the past month he has just been able to focus on the game he loves. And it certainly showed on the field.

In Thursday night's preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers, Boutte had six targets, catching three passes for 53 yards. With that, he had one highlight play, catching the ball out of the air above the head of Panthers cornerback D’Shawn Jamison for a 28-yard gain.

That catch led to the team's first touchdown of the night, when running back Kevin Harris punched the ball in on a two-yard run the following play.

But considering the current state of the receiver room, it's hard to stand out. Prior to Thursday's game, there were 12 receivers on the roster.

NOTE: the team narrowed it down to 11 after releasing veteran wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on Friday.

Because of the number of receivers, it's been hard for Boutte to secure his spot on the depth chart. All eyes have been on Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker as the rookies look to transition to the NFL. Then there is  new arrival K.J. Osborn, along with Jalen Reagor, who's impact on special teams makes him even more valuable. And of course, DeMario Douglas is a clear lock for the season, but has been sidelined from the majority of team drills due to a minor injury the team is keeping an eye on.

Everyone else is trying to prove that they deserve to stay.

So the best thing about the preseason is it gives some of the younger players the opportunity to show what they can do. While the game didn't count towards the Patriots' record, it mattered just as much as any game for players like Boutte.

"Just knowing that we the young guys, we going to play the most. So really just making every opportunity count," Boutte said. "Just showing that we could do different things."

And even if a player gets waived during final roster cuts, that doesn't mean their season is over. There are 31 other teams in the league that are always scouting during these times and waiting to see if the player becomes available.

"Me personally, I feel like every game counts, whether you make the team or you don't. It's still 32 teams that's watching you, including your team," the receiver explained. "So being evaluated on everything you do. I feel like we got to make the best of our opportunities."

Boutte still has two more preseason games to prove himself, but if he keeps this up, he's making a very strong case for a roster spot.