In what is probably the most expected move of the 2026 offseason in New England, the Patriots finally made their decision to trade wide receiver Kayshon Boutte to the Texans on Monday, receiving safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 sixth-round pick in return.
Given all of the rumors that had been circulating since the start of the offseason, it felt like only a matter of time until the 24-year-old was moved, mostly due to a crowded receiver room and Boutte being the most expendable of them all.
It wasn't a move that many fans, and even reporters, were hoping to see, as Boutte had consistently improved year to year and became a top target for Drake Maye, which was even more apparent throughout the summer.
Given his potential and the fact that he was a homegrown talent, which the Patriots haven't had in a long time at receiver, it seemed better to keep him around than move him when he was about to near his prime, so it hasn't been a well-received decision so far.
And based on the latest intel from team insider Phil Perry, it looks like it might be something even Boutte won't be happy about, which makes it all the more frustrating.
Kayshon Boutte's immediate future with the Texans isn't looking the best
Clearly, the Patriots and their fans did not view Boutte and his value to the team as the rest of the league did, as the return in his trade was far lower than anyone expected.
The belief was he would warrant a fifth-round pick, which was the rumored offer the team received in recent months, but instead, it was essentially a player swap with a late-round pick thrown in to sweeten the deal.
The Patriots had a chance to send him to a team that needed receiver help now and long term, and although the Texans lost two players to injury last week, Perry said they still don't view Boutte as a starter.
“Just talking to people in Houston, it doesn’t sound like he’s assumed to be a starter even there. They’re not necessarily like enamored with this guy.
They don’t feel as if they’ve gotten one over the Patriots and this is like this massive steal for them, even though they have a need at the position now, given that they’ve dealt with some injuries there recently.”
Maybe he isn't an A.J. Brown or another superstar receiver who is a guaranteed starter no matter what team he's on.
But if you're going to seek out a receiver who has shown he can be a legitimate threat on the field when multiple receivers of your own have gone down, why wouldn't you trade for someone you believe can start in their place?
That's the part that doesn't make much sense. It's not like the Texans gave up much to acquire Boutte, but they probably could have signed other receivers they believed would be starters in their offense.
Boutte hasn't blown anyone away with his career so far, as he hasn't even reached 600 receiving yards in a single season yet. However, he has improved every year and beaten some of the league's best defenders, so that should count for something.
It's not unexpected that Boutte is frustrated about what his future looks like in Houston, assuming he hoped to join a team that would give him a better chance to be a starter.
We won't know definitively until the season starts, but so far, it doesn't look like he's in a better situation with the Texans than he had with the Patriots.
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