The New England Patriots finally put a Kayshon Boutte trade in motion, trading the young wide receiver to the Houston Texans for a package headlined by a 2028 seventh-round pick and safety Jaylen Reed.
The pick is so late in the Draft that Reed appears to be the better of the two assets. A former Penn State star who was selected by the Texans in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Reed found it hard to break through in a very deep Houston defense and primarily played on special teams.
Fans who are upset about losing Boutte and underwhelmed by Reed being the headliner in the return package are understandably puzzled by this move, but there's a world in which a New England secondary that very clearly needed some safety depth gets a player who can be a long-term role player if Reed plays up to his potential.
New England Patriots could win Kayshon Boutte trade if Jaylen Reed breaks out
Reed may have been a sixth-round pick, but many NFL Draft analysts had him coming off the board multiple rounds before that in their mock drafts. One of the better tackling defensive backs in his class, Reed has made his money by hitting like a truck and wrapping up in the open field.
Even though he isn't the greatest lateral athlete, Reed has shown enough zone coverage range to generate turnovers when tested.
All of this could play well in New England, as his size and rabid style of play could make him a perfect dime defensive back who could cause havoc for opposing tight ends and slot receivers on passing downs.
New England Patriots defensive back Jaylen Reed has some problems
Reed is not the quickest player in the world, and that can lead to coverage issues. While he timed a 4.4-second 40-yard dash, he doesn't run that fast on the field, and that could cause trouble against NFL-level athletes.
In many ways, Reed has the playing style and mentality of a linebacker in the body of a safety.
If nothing else, Reed profiles as someone who could be a core special teamer who provides some quality depth should something catastrophic happen in front of him. With Kevin Byard a little long in the tooth and Craig Woodson far from establishing himself as a long-term starter, adding someone with Reed's ceiling is a solid bit of business.
A deep threat wide receiver is always going to be a flashier addition than a backup safety in Year 2, but based purely on what this Patriots team needs right now, Reed might be a better fit for the roster than Boutte.
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