FOXBORO — Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez deserves the bulk of credit for limiting Bengals Pro Bowl wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase in Week 1, but wide receiver Kayshon Boutte warrants a slice too.

Boutte, who was teammates with Chase at LSU in 2020, imitated the Bengals wideout in practice last week, earning him a Patriots practice player of the week award.

“He always had a great presence the whole week,” wide receivers coach Tyler Hughes said Thursday. “His role that he played was kind of like Ja’Marr Chase. He ran all of Chase’s routes, he gave us a great look in those routes, and one thing that I noticed with him, he was taking a lot of reps last week. Run down the field, run all the way back. Just his motor and the tempo that he practiced that just really kept the pressure on guys and helped all of the other practice players, scout players elevate their performance, because I think they saw him demonstrate his leadership and his intention to what he as doing. He had a great week for us.”

Related Articles

Patriots are in good health ahead of Sunday’s home opener vs. Seattle

Jerod Mayo explains decision to sit Patriots rookie Javon Baker in Week 1

Callahan: Why the Patriots defense is not a Bill Belichick defense anymore

Hidden detail of Jacoby Brissett’s game could be massive for Patriots

Patriost injury report: Jerod Mayo giving veteran players rest day

Gonzalez allowed Chase to catch three passes for 15 yards when the two were matched up. Overall, Chase had six catches for 62 yards in the Patriots’ 16-10 win.

Boutte recalled he had one monster practice on the scout team going against the Patriots’ defense.

“I feel like I performed good. I feel like I went in one day 200-plus (yards), couple touchdowns, just doing the regular thing I do,” Boutte said.

Wait, that’s what Boutte does every day in practice?

“Nah, not every day, because it’s kind of hard to get all of them yards every day,” Boutte said.

Boutte also wouldn’t go so far as to boast that he gave the Patriots a better look than Chase himself.

“I wouldn’t say that, but I’ll say I helped them prepare for Ja’Marr Chase,” Boutte said.

Boutte was active for Sunday’s game but he didn’t take the field. The Patriots instead played Ja’Lynn Polk, DeMario Douglas, K.J. Osborn and Tyquan Thornton at wide receiver while keeping rookie Javon Baker inactive.