After months of speculation, the New England Patriots have finally pulled the trigger: wide receiver Kayshon Boutte has been traded.
The reigning AFC champions are sending Boutte to the Houston Texans, according to a report by The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero. In return, they are receiving safety Jaylen Reed and a seventh-round selection in the 2028 NFL Draft.
Boutte, 24, originally joined the Patriots as a sixth-round pick in 2023 out of LSU. Following a quiet rookie season with the team that saw him mostly
serve as a healthy scratch, he showed some significant progress the next two seasons and developed in one of quarterback Drake Maye’s favorite receivers.
In total, he ends his Patriots career having appeared in a combined 38 regular season and playoff games. Along the way, he caught 87 passes for 1,327 yards — an average of 15.3 yards per catch — and 10 touchdowns.
Despite his growth and role in the offense, Boutte had been the subject of trade rumors for two straight offseasons. No trade materialized in 2025, but the circumstances changed in 2026 following the Patriots’ acquisitions of fellow wide receivers A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. Boutte requested a trade in the spring, and now has gotten his wish.
With him out of the picture, the top of the Patriots’ wide receiver group now consists of Brown, Doubs, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism.
