Trade rumors had been swirling around Kayshon Boutte for months. The New England Patriots signed Romeo Doubs off a career year and traded for All-Pro A.J. Boutte, who'd flashed real upside as an offensive weapon, felt like the odd man out.
On Monday, it became official: the Patriots sent Boutte to the Houston Texans in exchange for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick. The trade made sense for Houston, which had just lost second-year player Jayden Higgins, a player many projected was about to break out as the Texans' No. 2 receiver. But according to Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, there may have been more to the story.
"That was one place where we do have some depth," Vrabel told reporters after Thursday's preseason finale against the Cleveland Browns. "I think for all parties involved, that was probably the best thing without injuries, you know? Okay, sure, he probably would have been inactive, unfortunately, because it's kind of the way it was.
It's just him not playing special teams." More news: Seahawks Lock up Star Defender With Massive $90 Million Extension More news: Jayden Daniels Goes Silent on LSU Beef: ‘I Said Everything I Needed To Say’ It's wild to think that the Patriots' receiver depth would have pushed Boutte into more of a special-teams role and being less involved on offense. The former sixth-round pick just put together two strong seasons in New England, posting 589 yards and three touchdowns on 43 catches in 2024, averaging 13.7 yards per catch. He did even more with less last season, finishing with 551 yards and six touchdowns on just 33 catches, averaging 16.7 yards per catch.
He also played well during the Patriots' Super Bowl run, hauling in nine catches for 168 yards and a touchdown across four postseason games — including a 75-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Texans in the divisional round. Now he heads to that very same Houston team, with a real shot to claim the No. 2 receiver spot next to Nico Collins. More news: Packers Reveal Contingency Plan for Possible Josh Jacobs Suspension
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