Patriots Trade WR Kayshon Boutte to Texans for Young DB, Future Draft Pick

After plenty of offseason rumors about if this move would eventually happen or not, the New England Patriots are going to trade away wide receiver Kayshon Bou tte after three seasons.

According to Tom Pelissero, the Patriots have agreed to trade Boutte to the Houston Texans for second-year safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh round draft pick. Boutte, set to enter a contract season in New England, was coming off his best season as a pro.

The Patriots went out and brought in A.J. Brown (trade) and Romeo Doubs (free agency) this past offseason, part of the reason why Boutte's departure felt like it was imminent.

Boutte, 24, was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round (187th overall) back in 2023, and has been a part of three different head coaching regimes in New England.

As a rookie under Bill Belichick, he struggled to find the field, catching just two passes in what was essentially a redshirt season.

One year later, under Jerod Mayo, the former LSU star broke out of his shell. He caught 43 passes for 589 yards and three touchdowns. His first career touchdown catch -- a 40-yard grab over Houston Texans star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. -- was also the first passing touchdown of Drake Maye's career.

There were signs that Boutte, who once had the possibility of going in the first round out of college, was meshing with Maye in the deep game. In 2025, that became true. He had 33 receptions and 551 receiving yards, and set a career high with six touchdowns.

In the postseason, Boutte was very hot and cold. He beat Stingley Jr. (again) for an impressive one-handed touchdown in the Patriots' 28-16 win against the Texans in the AFC Divisional Round. Three weeks later, he caught just one pass in the team's loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX.

Jan 25, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (9) reacts after defeating the Denver Broncos in the 2026 AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Boutte now joins a Texans receiving corps that already has Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Xavier Hutchinson and Jaylin Noel. After finishing second in the AFC South, Houston wanted to add to their depth at the position. Bringing in Boutte, who can threaten any team down the sideline, is a worthwhile move -- especially at the price tag that they gave up.

How Did We Get Here?

For the Patriots, it was an offseason filled with question marks surrounding Boutte. As he entered a contract season, Boutte did not report to the team's voluntary offseason workouts. There had been reporting that Boutte would have welcomed a trade out of New England because he felt like his role had been reduced.

Vrabel had been asked if he gotten a sense that his absence was about wanting a trade.

"Kayshon has communicated, and which I which I texted him and told him that I respected him for doing so," Vrabel said during OTAs. "There's different reasons why guys aren't here or will miss a day or - that's their prerogative. It's voluntary. We have a few days that are mandatory. We just want to make it a product that they feel like is worthwhile being here. That's important."

Once mandatory minicamp rolled around and players were required to show, Boutte was present, even working in with the top offense. On the final day of the three-day session, he did not participate, making some eyebrows raise about what that could have meant.

Before the first day of minincamp, Vrabel talked about the process to reacclimate players who were absent at OTAs (Boutte, cornerback Christian Gonzalez, edge rusher Harold Landry) and what their usage rates may look like.

"I do not know if he will participate fully, just because I do not think that is fair to him to just say, 'Hey, go run 20 reps,'" Vrabel commented. "Again, I think that part of this is about evaluating where guys are, getting them reacclimated to what the new stuff is that we are putting in in the red zone.

After spending part of the offseason in Florida working out, Boutte made headlines as he hosted pickup basketball games in Franklin, Mass. for any Patriots fans that wanted to show out. At one of these games, he mentioned how he wanted to remain in a Patriots uniform for good.

"I want to be in New England for the rest of my career," Boutte said to WBZ’s Dan Roche. "I’ve enjoyed it out here. Been here three years. Every day I’m here. I call this home. This is my new home. Grew up in Louisiana, stayed there 20 years, but now Boston is my life."

What This Means For Patriots' Passing Attack:

The Patriots leaned on Boutte a lot last year, especially when they wanted to air the ball out. Early in the season, in games against the New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans, Maye connected with Boutte for a few long touchdown passes. Boutte became a really valuable part of the offense after two years of off-and-on production.

But because the team sent away a 2028 first round pick and a 2027 fifth round pick to the Philadephia Eagles to acquire Brown, the writing felt like it was on the wall for Boutte. With the Eagles, Brown worked inside and outside of the formation, and is the real-deal "X" wideout for this offense.

Even though Boutte shined as the Patriots' "X" last season, there really isn't much he brings to the table that differs from Brown's skillset. He was open and honest about wanting a chance to compete this spring/summer, telling reporters at minicamp that he welcomed whatever opportunity the team gave him in the offense. But the Patriots decided to move on from Boutte with one year left on his rookie deal.

Stefon Diggs was New England's top wideout last year, and now those snaps are going to get gobbled up by both Brown and Doubs. When you add in Hollins and the growth potential for Williams as a downfield threat, it felt harder and harder for Boutte to get the snaps he would have deserved in a contract season.

Who Is Jaylen Reed?

Aug 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans safety Jaylen Reed (23) looks across the line of scrimmage during the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

So the Patriots add some extra depth at a position with plenty of players already shining. Reed, in his second season after getting drafted by Houston in the sixth round (187th overall), joins a safety room that already has Kevin Byard, Craig Woodson, Mike Brown, Dell Pettus, Eric Butler, John Saunders Jr. and Peter Manuma.

Coming out of Penn State, Reed was a solid tackler for the Nittany Lions. He had 46 tackles and two picks in his junior season. He was a starter the next year before declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft.

Last year, Reed played in seven games as a rookie and recorded 14 tackles and a fumble recovery. The 23-year-old started one game for Houston, who's defense was among the best in the entire NFL.

It felt like Houston would be a plausible landing spot for Boutte via trade after their wide receiver, Jayden Higgins, went down with a season-ending ACL tear. Considering the Patriots' connection with Texans general manager Nick Caserio and their now-need at the wideout position, it felt like Boutte was destined to land in Houston.

Ultimately, for a player who reportedly requested a trade earlier in the offseason, the Patriots were able to grab a future draft pick and a depth player in their secondary ... marking this deal as a productive one for both sides. With seven receivers set to possibly make the Patriots roster, the current group now feels more set in stone.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much more!

Add us as a preferred source on Google