As usually happens at this point in the preseason, an unfortunate injury became an opportunity. The New England Patriots jumped the gun when they saw a window to move on from Kayshon Boutte, sending him to the Houston Texans.
In return, the Patriots got a 2027 seventh-round pick and safety Jaylen Reed. Unsurprisingly, it didn't take long before fans and pundits criticized the somewhat underwhelming return they got for their big-play threat.
That said, Boutte had been on the trade block since the start of training camp. As such, it's hard to believe the Patriots could've gotten much more in return for his services. Otherwise, they would've done it already.
The Patriots got a developmental piece for Kayshon Boutte
Jaylen Reed is far from a finished product. Safety isn't considered a premium position, which only adds to the discontent about this trade, but he's just 23 years old and coming from DeMeco Ryans' hard-hitting, ferocious defensive backfield. He's not just a filler.
Perhaps the Patriots could've kept Boutte and traded him closer to the trade deadline. Maybe an injury-riddled and desperate team could've given them a king's ransom for a player who's gotten better in every season.
But how realistic is that? How impressive would his numbers be with A.J. Brown drawing double-digit targets every game and Romeo Doubs as the second guy in the pecking order? If anything, his trade value would've gone down.
Boutte was always a pro's pro and spoke his mind when asked whether he wanted to be traded. That doesn't mean everybody in the league wasn't aware of his actual desire to leave, and that always hurts a player's trade value.
And even if that weren't the case, players on expiring deals don't usually go for a premium return at the trade deadline. Whoever trades for them knows they're more likely to get them on a rental until the end of the season.
The Texans' unfortunate situation created a significant opportunity for Boutte to boost his market value and cash in on a lucrative deal. Good for him. The Patriots got a young player with upside and a Day 3 draft pick; it might not be much, but it beats letting him walk for nothing.
It's easy to get carried away and feel the Patriots didn't manage their assets well in this situation. That said, having a disgruntled player in the locker room can only do more harm than good, and we'll have to wait at least a year before we can objectively judge this return.
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