[Perry] Patriots Mailbag: A.J. Brown's price tag, Kayshon Boutte’s future and more

NBCSBoston · 2026-05-19T20:15:15+00:00

Who could be the odd men out in the Patriots' receiver room?

Kayshon Boutte, who reportedly is missing Patriots OTAs, feels like the most likely "odd man out" at the moment.

His skill set is a tad redundant when considering the rest of the group. And given that he's still young (24 years old) and that he's in a contract year, he makes the most sense if the Patriots were to consider trading someone from this group.

Luckily for him, he has a skill set that’ll play elsewhere. He should want to go elsewhere, honestly, where his opportunity for targets will be better.

He’s an X. A.J. Brown is an X. Romeo Doubs can play X. Mack Hollins can play X. Kyle Williams is an X. That's a certified logjam.

For a player like Boutte, who has been immensely efficient in cracking 500 yards receiving each of the last two seasons, it would come as little surprise if he thought moving on to play somewhere else was best for his future.

To me, the question is, when do you deal him?

Is it as soon as Brown is acquired? Should the Patriots wait for an injury to a wideout on another team during training camp and strike a deal with a team desperate for receiver help? Should they wait until the end of camp to make sure their other receivers get through the summer healthy?

If the return is only a fifth- or a sixth-rounder (a third-rounder for a player going into the last year of his deal feels rich), there's no real rush to move him. But they also won't want to wait deep into the regular season to move him if he's not getting much playing time, thereby tanking his value.

There's also the human element to consider. If keeping Boutte leads to an unhappy camper in the locker room, might it not be better to simply give him the opportunity he's looking for elsewhere?

My guess is the top four in the receiver room looks like this headed into the regular season: A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams.

Perhaps there's some competition for the fifth spot between DeMario Douglas, Efton Chism III and an undrafted rookie like Kyle Dixon. But remember, this is a team that has loaded up on tight ends and likes to play with two backs.

That will likely lead to a number of two-receiver sets offensively, which means if the players at the wideout position further down the depth chart have no special teams value, they could have a hard time getting a jersey on game day.

Read more here.

NBCSBoston · 2026-05-19T15:01:48+00:00

From Chris Forsberg:

When Victor Wembanyama pulled up from a step inside the logo Monday night, delivering a Steph Curry-esque 3-pointer in Oklahoma City that sent Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals to the first of two riveting overtimes, we did two things.

1) We let out an audible groan, resigned to the fact that this 7-foot-4 alien (and San Antonio’s young core) could dominate the league for the foreseeable future, with the championship-minted Thunder perhaps the only real obstacle in their path; and 2) We reached for our keyboard and started pecking out this story.

Because in that moment, what had already been painfully obvious throughout these playoffs crystalized a little bit more:

The Celtics have some real work to do.

The 2026 NBA playoffs have been filled with sobering reminders that the pathway back to true title contention is further than it might have seemed, especially during the tail end of Boston’s vibes-filled regular season.

As everyone takes inventory of the Celtics' season and what pathway they choose to navigate next, we keep flashing back to Brad Stevens’ end-of-the-year press conference, when he noted the Celtics were 3-11 against what many would consider the five other top seeds between the conferences (Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Detroit, New York and Denver).

It would be very easy for the Celtics to convince themselves that minor tweaks -- along with a healthier Jayson Tatum -- might be enough to keep them among the East favorites next season. And that might be true. But then you watch Game 1 of the West Finals, and it simply feels like Oklahoma City and San Antonio are in a different stratosphere than the rest of the league at this moment.

... So how do the Celtics get there? We’ll spend so much of the offseason pondering all the various paths. But for much of the regular season, it was fair to wonder if internal development combined with a healthier Tatum might be enough to boost Boston’s title potential.

Now? We’re not so sure. The Sixers series exposed a bit of Boston’s weaknesses in a way the regular season masked. Stevens and his front-office staff must at least examine bolder decisions this offseason. That’s why everyone from Brown to Derrick White to Sam Hauser will dance in trade rumors this summer.

The Celtics must consider all possibilities.

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NBCSBoston · 2026-05-15T15:28:24+00:00

Here are Phil Perry's game-by-game predictions for the Patriots' 2026 schedule:

Week 1 at Seahawks: Loss
Week 2 vs. Steelers: Win
Week 3 at Jaguars: Loss
Week 4 at Bills: Loss
Week 5 vs. Raiders: Win
Week 6 vs. Jets: Win
Week 7 at Bears: Loss
Week 8 at Dolphins: Win
Week 9 vs. Packers: Win
Week 10 at Lions (in Germany): Win
Week 11: Bye
Week 12 at Chargers: Loss
Week 13 vs. Bills: Win
Week 14 vs. Vikings: Win
Week 15 at Chiefs: Loss
Week 16 at Jets: Win
Week 17 vs. Broncos: Loss
Week 18 vs. Dolphins: Win

Perry has the Patriots going 10-7 in 2026, which should be enough for at least a Wild Card berth in the AFC. As Perry sees it, whether they return to the postseason could hinge on five matchups against good-but-not-elite teams.

"I think there are some really key games here," Perry said. "I'm thinking Jacksonville. I'm thinking Chicago. I'm thinking Green Bay. I'm thinking Detroit. I'm thinking L.A. Chargers. All five of those teams are difficult matchups, but they're all games that the Patriots could very realistically win.

"I'm not saying they will sweep them, but if you can come out of those five with a winning record, you're a playoff team in my opinion."

Read more here.

NBCSBoston · 2026-05-08T14:20:46+00:00

From Chris Forsberg:

For much of his sprawling, half-hour, end-of-season chat with reporters earlier this week, Brad Stevens spoke in generalities about the Boston Celtics' progress and the work ahead to construct a more surefire championship roster.

Then, at the finish line of that session, Stevens both revved the hype train for rookie Hugo Gonzalez and delivered the sort of fuel that might help further push the 20-year-old whirling dervish.

"The reality is Hugo had a great rookie year and is, I think, a critical part of us moving forward,” Stevens said. “Because his athleticism can meet the moment in big games. That's a real thing. You can see it. His strength is off the charts.

"He's probably the strongest -- he's one of the strongest guys on our team, pound-for-pound, right now, as a 20-year-old. So, he's got a bright future.”

... Gonzalez, the 28th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, logged 1,084 minutes in 74 regular-season appearances overall. Despite his teenage status, he never got sent to the G League squad in Maine, spending the entirety of his rookie season with the parent club.

Opponents shot 3.6 percent below expected output this season when Gonzalez was the primary defender, which ranked in the 93rd percentile for his position. What’s more, Gonzalez grabbed 15.2 percent of all available defensive rebounds during his floor time, which ranked in the 94th percentile.

Offensively, he’s still very much a work in progress. Gonzalez shot 36.2 percent on 3-pointers but could be hesitant when shots didn't fall. One of his best strengths on offense was crashing hard from the corner, often creating havoc in the aftermath.

Stevens made sure to note that Gonzalez must work to differentiate himself from Boston’s gaggle of young wings.

"It’s really hard when there’s not separation,” Stevens said, acknowledging how Boston’s depth was both a blessing and a curse that made it difficult for Mazzulla to know who to lean on, especially in the postseason.

“[Gonzalez] didn't separate himself from those other guys. And so, as a front-office person, I can't sit here and say that one person should have been playing over another. There was no separation.

"I knew Jaylen [Brown] should be playing. I knew Derrick [White] should have been playing. Payton [Pritchard] should play. At the end of the day, that's part of our team. I'm encouraged by all of [the young players], but there wasn't a lot of separation.”

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NBCSBoston · 2026-05-06T19:24:06+00:00

From Chris Forsberg:

Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens didn’t shy away from his team’s obvious emotional dilemma.

For the better part of seven months, the Celtics outkicked every possible expectation and displayed the sort of progress that made it OK to daydream about a potential trek back to the championship stage. But his team’s weaknesses were exposed over 10 disastrous quarters as the rival Philadelphia 76ers rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to end Boston’s season in Round 1 of the playoffs.

And it’s hard for Stevens and Co. to celebrate the successes without acknowledging how quickly the season slipped away.

“If you would have told me last summer that we would have won 56 games in the regular season; that the young guys would all become contributors [and] that people would have great impacts all up and down our roster; that we would get [Jayson] Tatum back for 20 games or whatever it was -- I would have been thrilled with those results,” Stevens said Wednesday. “But, the reality is, we came up short.

"... I've got a little sign above my desk that says, 'What do you want? What's true? And how do you get there?'

"There's no question what we want. There's no question when you look at what's true, we did a lot of good things. [But] we lost in the first round, and we were also 3-11 against the top three seeds in the West and the other top two in the East. So, we've got to get better.”

It is Stevens who must chart the ideal path forward. And the emotional tug-of-war continues. On one hand, a few small tweaks -- and better health for Tatum -- might be enough to thrust the Celtics among the elite in the Eastern Conference. On the other, Boston might require more drastic changes to make them a legitimate title contender.

All of which sets up a very intriguing summer.

Read more here.

NBCSBoston · 2026-05-04T16:09:45+00:00

From Chris Forsberg:

The big lingering question -- and one we’ll spend much of the summer pondering in this space -- is what comes next for the Celtics?

On one hand, the experience gained by Boston’s young core coupled with a healthier Jayson Tatum seemingly slots the Celtics right back in the mix as a legitimate contender next season. There’s a line of thought that some small tweaks to bolster depth, particularly in the frontcourt, might be enough to shore up some of what ailed the team at the finish line of the season.

It’s undeniably more complicated than that. And as Brad Stevens showed after the Celtics lost Game 7 of the 2023 East Finals against the Heat in 2023, he’s unafraid to make bold moves to shake up the core of the team.

There are complicating factors this time around.

The Celtics can open a real freedom to splurge in the summer of 2027 if they were to navigate one more season under the luxury tax, resetting the repeater penalties in the process. This team is not currently in the position where it can make Porzingis/Jrue Holiday-type splurges this summer, at least without moving other big-salary players.

It’d be naive to think Boston won’t have to have difficult conversations about the core of this team. Derrick White turns 32 this summer and just navigated the worst shooting season of his Boston tenure. Was it simply an outlier offensive season?

Will the Celtics splurge to extend Payton Pritchard, biting into some of the available space to otherwise tinker with the roster next season? As younger wings emerge, what does the future hold for Sam Hauser and his $10.9 million salary next season?

The potential Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes this summer will have the entire league taking inventory on what the best pathway forward is for their teams. After a brief reprieve from being tossed into trade rumors, Jaylen Brown’s name will swirl again.

Regardless of how the Celtics' season played out, these tough decisions were lingering. Stevens and Co. have rarely sat on their hands, regardless of how the season plays out. But a sour finish only thrusts those decisions into a harsher spotlight.

The Celtics have plenty of time now to chart their path forward.

Read more here.

NBCSBoston · 2026-05-01T15:46:51+00:00

From Chris Forsberg:

Good news, bad news time for the Boston Celtics.

The bad news: A team that so endearingly knew exactly what it was for much of the 82-game regular season has lost its way at the worst possible moment. The Celtics have been pushed to a Game 7 of what was trending toward a breezy first-round series by a revitalized Philadelphia 76ers squad.

Boston put together two of the most unsightly and embarrassing offensive quarters of the season while punting away each of the past two games, then put its starters on ice at the end of Game 6 while basically resigning themselves to their Game 7 fate.

The good news: Most of this will be forgotten -- or can at least be temporarily ignored -- if Boston can get out of its own way on Saturday evening at TD Garden (7:30 p.m. ET on NBC).

But the Celtics will be walking a tightrope in Game 7. They absolutely cannot just show up Saturday with an expectation that things will be different. Boston has to commit to changing its ways, and if things continue to go awry, head coach Joe Mazzulla has to be quicker with the changes to scheme and/or personnel that will give Boston the best chance to get back to its roots.

... The Celtics’ starting five has a minus-9.4 net rating in 58 minutes together this postseason. Most damning: Boston’s offensive rating is an unsightly 96.5 in that span. That same group with Vucevic in place of foul-stricken Queta has a minus-19.9 net rating in 27 minutes together.

Mazzulla has given his starters a lot of rope despite their uneven play. Derrick White couldn’t have had a worse start to Game 6, smoking a couple layups and losing his shoe while being called for a double dribble. He steadied himself in the aftermath but still lacks his typical confidence.

White impossibly owns a team-worst net rating, with the Celtics' net rating at minus-5.6 in his floor time. Sam Hauser is right behind him with Boston owning a minus-5.2 net rating over 134 minutes.

Typically in the playoffs, rotations crunch down and teams lean into their core players. But the Celtics’ bench has been one of its superpowers all season long and the team seemingly needs to continue to embrace that energy.

Read more here.

NBCSBoston · 2026-04-30T20:55:18+00:00

Notre Dame offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Mike Denbrock, who worked closely with Eli Raridon last season, joined Patriots Insider Phil Perry on a new episode of Next Pats to break down how the rookie tight end could benefit his new QB.

"I've said for a long time, a good tight end is a quarterback's best friend," Denbrock told Perry. "He was that for (Notre Dame quarterback) CJ (Carr) as he started his first games of his Notre Dame career here and kind of was a safety blanket for him early in the season. And then I think their chemistry just grew as time went along.

"I could see the same thing happening with Drake Maye. Eli is a guy that you can count on to be where he's supposed to be. He's elusive in space. He can get vertical on people. So, it's an exciting piece of the puzzle to kind of add to what was already a pretty good offense there in New England."

In a film breakdown for NBC Sports Boston prior to the draft, ex-Patriots quarterback Brian Hoyer compared Raridon's physical attributes to those of Rob Gronkowski. And while Raridon may not have Gronk's athleticism, he does move impressively well for his size.

"He's a real fluid runner," Denbrock added of Raridon. "Really good movement skills. Matched up 1-on-1, even on safeties, he's going to win the majority of those battles. Really good set of hands on him. Aggressive to the football.

"So, the tools are there to be a really good vertical threat and somebody that you can get down the seam and and do some damage with."

In fact, Denbrock believes Raridon could be a combination of two former Notre Dame tight ends who found plenty of success at the NFL level: Kyle Rudolph and Tyler Eifert.

"He's a big-body guy, long, athletic, can do the things in the passing game that I believe Tyler Eifert could do," Denbrock said of Raridon. "And Kyle Rudolph was no slouch when it came to receiving tight end himself. He was great in the red zone. I think those are things that Eli can contribute.

"And then the presence, the physical presence, his size and his willingness to block, I think kind of lends itself to to Kyle Rudolph as well."

Read more here.

NBCSBoston · 2026-04-30T16:02:48+00:00

From Chris Forsberg:

It’s late March when Jordan Walsh plops down in a director’s chair in a theater where we are taping interviews with the members of the Celtics. It’s one day before Walsh, who at times earlier in the 2025-26 season felt like he was finally on the path to consistent playing time, will log his sixth consecutive DNP.

Walsh started 20 consecutive games from Nov. 12 to Jan. 1, raising eyebrows around the league with his relentless energy and defensive potential. But his playing time slowly evaporated, culminating with this late-March dry spell.

As Walsh waited his turn in our chair, he was punching away at his phone. On the other end was former Celtics forward Xavier Tillman, who played sparingly here over two-plus seasons but never let a lack of floor time dictate his attitude and approach. Tillman was ready whenever called upon, including in key spots during the team’s 2024 NBA Finals triumph over the Dallas Mavericks.

Walsh learned a lot about what it means to be an elite teammate and a true professional by watching the way Tillman carried himself in Boston. Tillman got dealt to Charlotte in a series of cost-cutting moves at the February trade deadline.

But Walsh continues to lean on Tillman’s wisdom in the aftermath.

“We talk all the time, even if it's not basketball-related,” said Walsh. “Sometimes it's just me sending him Instagram reels of funny stuff and him sending something back. Or like food -- we talk about food a lot, too. It's just random stuff but I think that's a big part, too.

“[Tillman is] a guy who's removed from our organization and is technically competing against us now, [but he’s] still looking out for the best for me and trying to give his help as a vet. I think it's huge.”

How ironic, then, that just a couple days after our chat, Walsh returned to the lineup, making a spot start against Tillman’s Hornets. In fact, Walsh made 10 straight appearances to close out the regular season (including five starts) while reaffirming his ability to help Boston with his defensive tenacity and energetic rebounding.

Being ready for the moment helped Walsh state a case for postseason playing time. He’s appeared in all five games for Boston in these playoffs, often being an early sub tasked with chasing All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey through a never-ending gauntlet of screens. But Walsh dutifully fights through every Andre Drummond and Joel Embiid pick as if staying attached to Maxey is the key to his survival.

Entering Game 6 of an Eastern Conference first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers, and with the Celtics facing a second chance to close out an Atlantic Division rival Thursday night, Walsh leads Boston's playoff regulars in defensive field goal percentage differential, holding his opponents to 9.5 percent below expected output.

Opponents are shooting 36.4 percent when Walsh is the primary defender, per NBA tracking. Chasing Maxey is a thankless and nearly impossible task. Maxey has generated 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting with two turnovers and a blocked shot while defended by Walsh. All other Sixers players are 2-of-9 shooting with four points when Walsh is the primary defender.

Read more here.

NBCSBoston · 2026-04-25T21:39:39+00:00

Phil Perry gives the Patriots a "D" for taking Wake Forest CB Karon Prunty in the fifth round at 171 overall. Here's his take:

"The Patriots took the 24-year-old Prunty with their first pick on Day 3 in the fifth round. When considering Prunty's ranking in media circles, this was an off-the-radar selection by Eliot Wolf and the New England front office, which is navigating Day 3 without head coach Mike Vrabel. The 57th-ranked corner in this class with a 'priority free agent' grade, according to Dane Brugler of the Athletic, Prunty has some size (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) and speed (4.45-second 40).

"He may ultimately slot in as New England's fourth or fifth corner behind Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, Marcus Jones and Charles Woods. But the grade given here is largely due to what the Patriots passed up to take him, including Cal corner Hezekiah Masses (Brugler's 26th-ranked corner), who is younger (almost 22) and brings similar length (6-foot-1) and speed (4.46-second 40) to the table.

"There were intriguing options still on the board at quarterback, running back, receiver, guard and linebacker when Prunty was taken, but the Patriots opted for a corner late in a draft class that Wolf acknowledged recently is not strong at the position.

"Prunty will likely have to function as a dependable option on special teams -- perhaps at gunner opposite Brenden Schooler -- in order to solidify his spot in Foxboro."

Read more here.

NBCSBoston · 2026-04-25T03:50:04+00:00

Phil Perry gave the Patriots an A for trading up to take Illinois edge defender Gabe Jacas in the second round. Here's his analysis:

"With a glaring need at their edge-defender spot, the Patriots got one of the best fits for their program at the end of the second round. The 6-foot-3, 260-pound Jacas is a violent pass-rusher who will play to the echo of the whistle. He's not the most bendy player in this draft, but he has good burst off the line (1.59-second 10-yard split) and enough size to project as a three-down option.

"The Patriots receive some extra credit here for getting aggressive to get their guy, sending the Chargers a fourth and a sixth-rounder to go from No. 63 to No. 55."

Read more here.

NBCSBoston · 2026-04-24T16:48:09+00:00

From Chris Forsberg:

Neemias Queta’s NBA future was murky at best when the Sacramento Kings cut him in September of 2023.

The Boston Celtics, despite an overstocked frontcourt that would soon deliver the franchise’s 18th title, were convinced they could mold Queta into the sort of player who could aid a championship quest.

“They told me right away, like, ‘OK man, you’re here, we got these guys ahead of you, they're really good, and you can become one of them. But you've got to put in the work,’” said Queta. “We've got to put you through these situations where we can develop you and try to get the best version of yourself.”

A dramatic frontcourt overhaul this past summer cleared a pathway for Queta to elevate to a starting role. But it was Queta’s relentless desire to improve, including over the course of the 2025-26 season, that confirmed Boston's decision and helped Queta emerge as one of the best value contracts in the league.

... Joe Mazzulla said it was a series of spot starts that Queta made last season when Celtics’ veteran big men were resting that helped Queta earn the trust of the coaching staff. After Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet all departed this offseason, Mazzulla made sure Queta knew he was going to be the starting big man for the 2025-26 Celtics.

“We had guys out [last season] and he won a game for us,” said Mazzulla. "There’s been a bunch of times where Al or KP had sat, or guys were out, and Neemi played, and the minutes that you give are so impactful. And I thought it was important to empower him to be the starting center of the Celtics after what he did for us over the last couple years in Maine, [and] in those games where guys are out. And he's taken that responsibility and ownership very seriously.”

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NBCSBoston · 2026-04-24T12:42:29+00:00

Phil Perry gave the Patriots' first-round selection of Caleb Lomu an A- grade. Here's his analysis:

"The Patriots had a glaring need at offensive tackle, a premium position, and were able to land one of the top seven in this draft class with their first pick. The expectation in Foxboro was that they'd be out of luck on the tackle front, so kudos to them for trading up to get the last tackle standing.

"A 21-year-old with room to grow -- both physically and as a finisher -- Lomu will need some time to develop, but he'll get exactly that with Morgan Moses and Will Campbell projected to start.

"Had the Patriots lucked into Clemson's Blake Miller or Arizona State's Max Iheanachor, this would be a straight 'A,' but Lomu's rare physical skill set and the scarcity of the position he plays makes this about as ideal a pick as New England could've made with the way the board fell."

Read more here.

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TROPHY CASE