It’s been an awkward offseason for Kayshon Boutte — and he had an opportunity to get some things off his chest on Wednesday.
But after being granted his trade request from the New England Patriots on Aug. 24, Boutte told reporters he holds no ill will toward Mike Vrabel or the team that drafted him back in 2023.
“I mean, they did pay two guys to come in and do that job,” Boutte said of Romeo Doubs and A.J. Brown. “Sadly, it is the way it is, you know? Being that it's a contract year for me, I seeked the bigger role.”
Boutte, who was traded to the Houston Texans in exchange for second-year safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick, was responding to a question about Vrabel, who recently admitted to reporters that Boutte, barring injuries, would have been a game-day inactive this season due to special teams.
That had to be a tough comment to swallow for Boutte, who operated as one of Drake Maye’s go-to targets during last year’s playoff run. In their first two postseason games, he caught seven of nine targets for 141 yards and one highlight-reel touchdown, averaging over 20 yards per reception.
The 24-year-old took Vrabel’s brutally honest comments in stride.
“I feel like what Vrabes said in his media interview, it wasn't nothing bad. I wouldn't say I used that as fuel, you know? … At the end of the day, he sat down, it was an honest opinion. He sat down to speak his truth and I’ve pretty much moved forward from it.”
A shrinking role made Kayshon Boutte's Patriots exit all but inevitable
The Patriots’ decision to trade Boutte to a good AFC rival was a head-scratcher. He’s a young, improving player who had a clear rapport with Maye, especially on deep balls.
He could obviously see the writing on the wall, though, as the Patriots eagerly sought upgrades at his position this offseason.
Boutte’s situation felt similar to former Patriots pass rusher Anfernee Jennings last summer.
Jennings was too good for Vrabel to justify releasing, but after the team added Harold Landry Jr. and K’Lavion Chaisson in free agency, Jennings found himself falling down the depth chart and playing deep into preseason games.
He ended up sticking around throughout the 2025 season after carving out a core role on special teams. Boutte probably would have had to do the same this year for the team to justify keeping him on the initial 53-man roster.
The harsh reality is that Boutte didn't give the team enough roster versatility as a backup wide receiver. He’s lined up on the boundary on 90 percent of his career snaps, per Pro Football Focus, and he doesn’t play on special teams; Boutte logged exactly one snap during the entire 2025 season.
At the end of the day, both Boutte and the Patriots deserve credit for keeping things professional. The team moved on, and Boutte’s take on the whole thing was exactly why fans were so disappointed to see him go.
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