{"id":703010,"date":"2026-05-29T21:39:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T21:39:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/703010\/"},"modified":"2026-05-29T21:39:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T21:39:10","slug":"patriots-kayshon-boutte-might-hint-that-brendan-sorsbys-nfl-chances-are-fully-intact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/703010\/","title":{"rendered":"Patriots’ Kayshon Boutte might hint that Brendan Sorsby’s NFL chances are fully intact"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Kayshon Boutte<\/a> hauled in a 42-yard pass<\/a> from Drake Maye<\/a> in the wild-card round of the AFC playoffs, the conversation didn\u2019t stray.<\/p>\n

When the New England Patriots<\/a> receiver caught Maye\u2019s first playoff touchdown a week later in the divisional round, again the focus revolved around the score.<\/p>\n

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And in the Super Bowl, when Patriots offensive gains were few and far between, Boutte\u2019s 21-yard catch amid three defenders similarly brought nothing but cheers from Patriots fans \u2014 even when Maye and Boutte failed to connect on four other tries that day.<\/p>\n

So an NFC personnel executive questioned on Thursday the narrative that banned college quarterback Brendan Sorsby cannot shake the stigma that he bet on sports while playing college football<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The executive questioned the assumption that a Sorsby pro career would mean an onslaught of criticism every interception or fumble; a referendum on whether Sorsby is trying to throw a game.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you think that,\u201d the executive asked, \u201cwhen nobody says that about Kayshon Boutte when he drops a ball?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SANTA<\/p>\n

Wideout Kayshon Boutte played in the Super Bowl for the AFC champion New England Patriots. (Photo by Kathryn Riley\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

(Kathryn Riley via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Circle back to January 2024 and Boutte, coming off his NFL rookie year, was arrested for allegations of illegal sports betting dating back to when he played at LSU. The charges were later dropped after Boutte completed a gambling awareness program and agreed to a self-ban<\/a>. The Patriots\u2019 2023 sixth-round draft pick has since amassed 1,140 receiving yards and nine touchdowns the last two seasons. Boutte has rebounded after allegedly violating not only NCAA betting policies but also Louisiana state laws.<\/p>\n

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Two years later, he\u2019s an NFL receiver who helped his team to a Super Bowl.<\/p>\n

And Sorsby\u2019s gambling, while serious enough that he completed a residential treatment program for a diagnosed gambling addiction and anxiety disorder, was not illegal.<\/p>\n

So some in the NFL wonder: Why can\u2019t he rebound?<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t get me wrong now \u2014 if stuff starts to get egregious and all of a sudden he\u2019s a starter and he\u2019s throwing crazy picks, of course social media and Twitter is going to start,\u201d the NFC executive said. \u201cBut I don\u2019t think that\u2019s going to be as much of a big deal as people think. And like I said, he\u2019s not going to play early.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The NFL could learn as soon as Monday that the need to calculate this analysis<\/a> is near. After the NCAA ruled Sorsby permanently ineligible to compete, Sorsby is scheduled for an injunction hearing Monday to determine whether the NCAA’s case will be upheld.<\/p>\n

If an injunction is not granted, and the ruling is not reversed, Sorsby\u2019s most likely next step will be to file for entry into the NFL supplemental draft. The deadline to file is June 22.<\/p>\n

A high-ranking AFC executive distinguished between teams\u2019 concern about Sorsby\u2019s past behavior and concerns about future relapse.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy sense is the bets themselves weren\u2019t anything teams will be concerned about,\u201d the executive told Yahoo Sports. \u201cBut the real question will be, what does he have in place to make sure this doesn\u2019t pop up again in his career for something like an MMA, college football or NBA bet?\u201d<\/p>\n

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Weighing the risk of future violation will be the crux of any decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe will do everything in his power to not have this derail his career,\u201d the high-ranking AFC executive said. \u201cBut, with all addictions, it is hard to predict the likelihood of success.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"FILE<\/p>\n

Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is fighting to regain NCAA eligibility. (AP Photo\/Annie Rice)<\/p>\n

(ASSOCIATED PRESS)<\/p>\n

Receivers including Boutte, the Detroit Lions<\/a>\u2019 Jameson Williams<\/a> and the Tennessee Titans<\/a>\u2019 Calvin Ridley<\/a> have rebounded from betting violation consequences. The challenge for a quarterback is different.<\/p>\n

On one hand, quarterbacks\u2019 fame and leadership role expose them to more scrutiny. On the other, the quarterback demand always far exceeds its supply.<\/p>\n

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The last quarterback selected in the supplemental draft was Terrelle Pryor<\/a>, whom the Raiders<\/a> took with a third-round pick in 2011 supplemental draft.<\/p>\n

Last year, the New Orleans Saints<\/a> signed former Iowa State QB Hunter Dekkers<\/a> to their practice squad two years and a junior-college stint after an Iowa criminal investigation into gambling extinguished Dekkers\u2019 NCAA eligibility. An NFC talent evaluator deemed Sorsby \u201csignificantly\u201d more talented than Dekkers.<\/p>\n

\u201cHard to find QBs, so risk tolerance will always be higher,\u201d a high-ranking NFC executive told Yahoo Sports. \u201cEspecially since this draft was so bad and people who may have wanted [a] young QB didn\u2019t take one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether Sorsby\u2019s talent surpasses the threshold for NFL roster consideration is not in question.<\/p>\n

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After starting 10 games in his second season at Indiana, Sorsby started 24 games in two years for Cincinnati<\/a>, amassing 5,613 passing yards and 45 touchdowns to 12 interceptions in two seasons. He rushed for another 1,027 yards and 18 scores. NFL evaluators had begun preparing to keep tabs on him at Texas Tech this fall after Sorsby\u2019s transfer.<\/p>\n

Then he checked himself into a rehabilitation facility and evaluators realized: They may need to make an NFL decision based only on existing tape.<\/p>\n

Already his tape is piquing interest.<\/p>\n

Conversations with evaluators across the NFC and AFC paint a picture of a quarterback whose talents allure. Two evaluators projected Sorsby as a late first- to early second-round pick. A third evaluator described Sorsby as a first-round talent who\u2019s more likely to net a third-round pick in the supplemental draft given the \u201cdiscount\u201d for his gambling risk. A fourth evaluator said his team graded Sorsby as worth a third- to fourth-round pick in the 2026 draft, slotting behind third-round Steelers<\/a> pick Drew Allar<\/a> and fourth-round New York Jets<\/a> pick Cade Klubnik<\/a>. But that evaluator believed the stronger 2027 class would drop Sorsby\u2019s value to a fifth- to seventh-round 2027 pick.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHe\u2019s probably as good as [Duke quarterback] Darian Mensah,\u201d an NFC evaluator said. \u201cThey\u2019re probably in the same boat. I think they’re both going to be like late one\/early two-type draft picks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Evaluators compared Sorsby\u2019s style and college r\u00e9sum\u00e9 to that of Jordan Love and Carson Wentz. Sorsby\u2019s physical gifts, arm talent and ability to throw off-platform are intriguing \u2014 while his \u201creckless gunslinger\u201d style of play needs to be honed with discipline and development, they say.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like a raw ball of clay, but high upside,\u201d an NFC evaluator said. \u201cHe\u2019s not going to be ready from a processing standpoint, I don\u2019t think, early on. But [for] one of these teams that don\u2019t really have a quarterback or they have an older quarterback?<\/p>\n

\u201cSomebody\u2019s going to take a shot on that dude.\u201d<\/p>\n

If Sorsby clears hurdle of supplemental draft admission, who might take him?<\/p>\n

There are some in the NFL who don\u2019t want supplemental drafts. They can open a proverbial can of worms for applicants whose talent thresholds don\u2019t meet the NFL bar, and they draw attention to prospects\u2019 off-field baggage. Some supplemental draft prospects stick, including the most recent pick \u2014 Jalen Thompson<\/a>, a fifth-round safety selection by the Arizona Cardinals<\/a> in 2019.<\/p>\n

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After 87 starts across seven seasons with Arizona, the Cowboys signed Thompson in free agency this offseason.<\/p>\n

Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones said he supports the return of the supplemental draft.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like the idea of stepping up the timetable and getting the key player that you’re thinking enough of to use,\u201d Jones told Yahoo Sports, speaking generally about supplemental drafts rather than specifically about Sorsby\u2019s viability. \u201cThe sooner to today that we can get as many good ones on the field, that’s a plus for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

The reality of Sorsby\u2019s timeline could help his case as well.<\/p>\n

Evaluators point to the Minnesota Vikings<\/a>, Cleveland Browns<\/a> and Pittsburgh Steelers as teams with major quarterback questions for 2027 and beyond, and thus reason to stash a talented quarterback.<\/p>\n

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Sorsby\u2019s chance to start in 2026 with any of those teams is highly unlikely. He\u2019d sit behind Kyler Murray<\/a> and J.J. McCarthy<\/a> in Minnesota; behind Deshaun Watson<\/a> and Shedeur Sanders<\/a> in Cleveland; and behind at least Aaron Rodgers<\/a> in Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n

Murray\u2019s, Watson\u2019s and Rodgers\u2019 deals each last only through this season.<\/p>\n

And if these teams, with bridge quarterbacks and strong defenses, win even half of their games this year, their chance at an early class of 2027 quarterback will drop.<\/p>\n

Sorsby could develop, have time out of the spotlight theoretically and perhaps offer an answer to a question the 2027 draft may not bring.<\/p>\n

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For now, Sorsby\u2019s next step will be Monday\u2019s injunction hearing. If the NCAA\u2019s ban is upheld, expect supplemental draft chatter to heighten. While Sorsby needs to file by June 22, no date for a draft itself has been set, a league spokesperson said Thursday night.<\/p>\n

The league, and teams, will seek a level of comfort with Sorsby\u2019s gambling admissions and rehabilitation. There are plenty who still view gambling as a taboo that can\u2019t be shaken. Others focus on the infrastructure around a player, a high-ranking AFC executive saying he believes Sorsby will assuage concerns if he meets with teams.<\/p>\n

Nearly three years removed from his alleged betting string and two from his arrest, Boutte wrote an article in January for The Players Tribune<\/a>. On the doorstep of the Patriots’ playoff run, he asked fans and decision-makers to rethink how they view players who gamble.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I have a message for the football world, I guess it\u2019s this: \u2018Don\u2019t give up on these kids, man,\u2019\u201d Boutte wrote. \u201c I know there\u2019s more stories like mine out there. Betting is just gonna keep getting bigger and bigger. \u2026<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhen you ask yourself, \u2018How could they do something like that? How could they risk it all? What were they thinking?\u2019 The sad part is, they weren\u2019t thinking. They were going through something. Don\u2019t give up on them.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe they just need some help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maybe, from the NFL, Sorsby will get it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When Kayshon Boutte hauled in a 42-yard pass from Drake Maye in the wild-card round of the AFC…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":703011,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[559],"tags":[626,1258,64,63,120276,17079,28662,55565,10027,1238,21977,3055,5374,103354,1675,342192,1282,190375,28650,6582,342191,30576,5380,1239,1231,1249,1235,593,311559,61251,5345,1244,85,5350,312037,1253,63184],"class_list":["post-703010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl","tag-aaron-rodgers","tag-arizona-cardinals","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-brendan-sorsby","tag-cade-klubnik","tag-calvin-ridley","tag-carson-wentz","tag-cincinnati","tag-cleveland-browns","tag-deshaun-watson","tag-detroit-lions","tag-drake-maye","tag-drew-allar","tag-gambling-addiction","tag-hunter-dekkers","tag-j-j-mccarthy","tag-jalen-thompson","tag-jameson-williams","tag-jordan-love","tag-kathryn-riley","tag-kayshon-boutte","tag-kyler-murray","tag-minnesota-vikings","tag-new-england-patriots","tag-new-orleans-saints","tag-new-york-jets","tag-nfl","tag-nfl-supplemental-draft","tag-quarterback","tag-raiders","tag-shedeur-sanders","tag-sports","tag-steelers","tag-supplemental-draft","tag-tennessee-titans","tag-terrelle-pryor"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/703010","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=703010"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/703010\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/703011"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=703010"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=703010"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=703010"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}