Patriots mailbag: What to do with Kayshon Boutte, and could Efton Chism be the odd man out at wide receiver?

Welcome back to the mailbag. This week, we have questions about the future of Kayshon Boutte, the practice bubble in Foxborough, and more. Let’s get to it.

How about Kayshon Boutte straight up for Colby Parkinson? Win/win for both Rams and Patriots. —Brian Douglas, Vero Beach, Fla.

I don’t hate it. The Patriots need some depth at tight end. (It might be too much of an ask for rookie Eli Raridon to become TE2 in his first year.) But at this point, the best course of action — and best return — would be to hold on to Boutte as long as possible and wait for the inevitable training camp injury on another team. Provided Boutte stays healthy and has a good summer, he could yield a fourth-round pick for a receiver-needy team somewhere around Labor Day. One other alternative would be a Boutte-for-Kayvon Thibodeaux. The Patriots need edge help, and the Giants are in desperate need of receiver depth.

I keep hearing Kayshon Boutte as the odd man out, but wouldn’t Efton Chism be it, especially if the Stefon Diggs’s rumors are true? Or would Efton’s little cap hit save him? —George Palmer, Whitman

You’d think so, based on production, and there’s something to the cap hit discussion. But there are a few things at play here. One, there’s some (not a lot, but some) positional redundancy with Boutte and Brown. They have relatively similar skill sets. Two, Chism offers alittle special teams’ value as a returner. And three, while you never say never, I wouldn’t put much stock in Diggs’s return rumors, at least right now.

With the somewhat recent emphasis on updating some of the team facilities, do you ever envision the team redoing the indoor practice facility so that it’s a full-length field? —Samuel Fleming, Asheville, N.C.

According to a Patriots’ spokesman, that has been discussed. But there are a few things to take into account: namely, how much the facility is used. The team loves to lean into any sort of cold-weather edge it might get, which means lots of late-season practices outside as opposed to inside the bubble. (Outside of a random weather emergency, I can’t think of many situations where the bubble was pressed into service the last couple of years.) It has been expanded slightly, but the simple fact is that it doesn’t get used like a typical bubble facility in extreme climates like Buffalo.

One other note: In the new building, there are smaller playing fields attached to each classroom. They’re slated to be utilized more for teaching than building game reps — the goal is to break up film sessions by taking the instruction to the field — so they don’t really serve the purpose as a practice bubble. But it’s another limited option for the team when it needs field work.

Vets get cut over the summer/in camp/ahead of the season. The Patriots still seem thin at edge and corner. Any guys currently with teams that could be cap casualties later this summer that Patriots fans should keep an eye on? —Nick, Washington, D.C. (via Narragansett, R.I.)

I like Dre’Mont Jones, but New England needs some depth on the edge. Arizona’s Josh Sweat (12 sacks last year) would probably going to be a little pricey in terms of a trade candidate, but he’s someone the Patriots should at least inquire about. Dallas added a couple of edge rushers in the offseason, so James Houston (5.5 sacks in a limited role last year) could be a possibility, especially if he’s a late cut. I’d also keep an eye on some of the really intriguing edge veterans who haven’t signed yet, including Cameron Jordan, Joey Bosa, Jadeveon Clowney, and A.J. Epenesa.

Based on the Steelers giving Darnell Washington $42 million ($21 million guaranteed) and the Packers giving Christian Watson an $110 million deal, do you think A.J. Brown is a bargain? I’m shocked because those two players seem very mediocre. —Adam King, Boston

The two deals may seem excessive on the surface, but there are a few things to consider. Washington’s pass-catching stats aren’t all that impressive, but he’s one of the best blocking tight ends in the league, and when you stack his deal against some comparable tight ends, it’s relatively good.

Watson was probably the guy who benefited the most (at least financially) from Romeo Doubs’s departure from Green Bay. He’s going to be expected to do more now that Doubs is gone, so the Packers paid him more for the guy who they believe he could become as opposed to the player he currently is.

Brown is probably a small bargain; he’s one of the most productive receivers in the league the last four seasons. And as for Boutte, he’s going into the last year of his rookie deal, but if he can catch 35-45 passes this season, he could probably get a contract somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 million annually.

Some letters have been edited for length or clarity.