The Houston Texans received a devastating blow last week when it was announced that second-year wideout Jayden Higgins would miss the entirety of the 2026 NFL season after suffering a torn ACL. Since then, reports surfaced that the team was looking at options to trade for established receivers in the NFL, and two options that the team had reportedly considered and made exploratory calls for last week post-injury included the Ravens' Rashod Bateman and the Patriots' Kayshon Boutte. And it appears that the reported was accurate in so much as the Texans have gone ahead and made a trade for Boutte, per Tom Pelissero.
The Patriots are sending WR Kayshon Boutte to the Texans for safety Jaylen Reed and a draft pick, sources tell @ringer @netflixsports." Pelissero reported on Monday. In exchange for Boutte, the Patriots are receiving second-year safety Jaylen Reed in return, along with a 2028 seventh round draft pick, per Aaron Wilson. Boutte had long been a target of trade chatter when the former sixth round pick skipped OTAs earlier this offseason, after New England added a new WR1 and 2 in A.J.
Brown and Romeo Doubs, limiting Boutte's opportunities as a starter heading into a contract year. The 24-year old was once touted as a potential first round draft pick after disappointing in his final season in college. Now in Houston, the former LSU product has the opportunity to compete for the WR2 position behind Pro Bowler Nico Collins.
His main competition will be fellow 2023 sixth round draftr pick Xavier Hutchinson, whilst Jaylin Noel and Tank Dell – who is returning from his extended layoff stemming from a knee injury back in December 2024 – will battle it out to be the starting slot receiver.
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