Bedard: Catching up on Boutte, Gonzalez, Patriots depth, roster cuts and more entering preseason finale

Had some personal business to tend to right after the Eagles' preseason game, so apologize on the lateness of some of this stuff, but wanted to get my thoughts out there on a variety of subjects before the Patriots' meaningless finale (entire preseason?) against the Browns, where the starters will once again sit:

• Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald announced his starters will also sit their final preseason game, so both teams will start the NFL season on the same footing — none of their starters faced live action in the preseason.

• On the Kayshon Boutte trade...

I tried to warn you that there wouldn't be much compensation because Boutte was off most teams' boards entering the draft, and that doesn't just get erased with one solid season. Basically, they did a little bit better than the late-round compensatory pick they might not have received in 2028.

It ends one of the more overrated tenures in recent Patriots history. Boutte, if you averaged out his production to 17 games (which he never played), it was 2.6 catches, 39.3 yards and 0.3 TDs the past two seasons, when the Patriots had no receivers. Drake Maye was almost the MVP. He's the best deep ball thrower in the league. Boutte's a good deep ball receiver. Patriots had no receivers beyond Stef Diggs, who played like half the snaps, against the easiest passing schedule in the league and the best Boutte could do was 33 catches? That should tell you a lot. The guy can't get open enough for Maye to throw him the ball, which is why they went out and got AJ Brown and Romeo Doubs. It was over then.

That being said, I think he's still here if he didn't ask for a trade. But I would have asked for one as well. The writing was on the wall. Boutte thanked the Patriots for doing right by him.

I have no issue with them granting his request. It's time to go with Kyle Williams and see what he can do. I think Mack Hollins was also ahead of Boutte in many areas.

• I'm not saying Kyle Williams is going to be good, there are definitely some holes in his game (fighting back for the ball, playing tougher over the middle). We'll see if he can get better, but with more playing time he should give you what Boutte did, with the speed upside (double Williams' playing time last year and goes 20-400-6; Boutte had 2 catches, 15 yards as a rookie). Somebody needs to bring some speed to that room and the field. Why do you think they couldn't do anything in the playoffs last year, vs. Seattle? Nobody could get off man, and they were too slow. Yeah, go ahead and put Brown, Doubs, Boutte and Hollins on the field ... slowest WRs in the league. You have to have a speed guy, and you try to make it work for at least two years. This year is the referendum on Williams.

• Patriots' receiver depth chart before the trade:

Brown
Doubs
Douglas
Hollins - in the joint practices, he's in all the red zone and two-minute stuff, and effective.
5a. Boutte
5b. Williams

I still don't know if Chism makes the team.

• Reaction to Vrabel’s depth comments

No. 1, He was being honest. It’s the truth ... how many times did I talk about it last year? The depth is slightly better this year. Two offseasons, really one draft ... there's really only so much you can do. The Patriots were beat up, in some respects, on both lines by the Colts and Eagles, and I think Vrabel was just frustrated.

No. 2, I also think Vrabel was motivating the team to push through this last week, which is sort of a dead week. Seattle week will have juice. This week does not.

No. 3. I also think it was